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This image shows the orbits of more than 14,000 known asteroids, with yellow asteroids that have been seen by Gaia. The three asteroids recently discovered by the probe are highlighted in gray.
(Image: © ESA / Gaia / DPAC)
The Gaia spacecraft has just done some extra science: while the mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) is designed to measure the positions and speeds of starsGaia recently discovered three asteroids unknown to astronomers.
asteroids are space rocks left by the early solar system. Their study shows researchers what the solar system looked like billions of years ago, before planets formed from materials around the sun. Gaia found these three asteroids in December 2018 and a terrestrial telescope at the Haute-Provence observatory in France confirmed the discovery.
The three asteroids have unusual paths across space, ESA officials said in a statement. While the sun and planets revolve around a three-dimensional space, the orbits converge in a flat "plane", almost as if all orbiting over a plate the size of a system solar. Many asteroids gravitate in the same plane as the sun and the planets, but the trajectories of these three asteroids are inclined – at 15 degrees or more – compared to the plan of the solar system.
"The population of asteroids also inclined is not as well studied as that of less inclined orbits, as most surveys tend to focus on the aircraft where the majority of asteroids, "said ESA officials. "But Gaia can easily observe them by sweeping the entire sky from its point of space observation, so it is possible that the satellite will find other objects of this type in the future and provide new information. to study their properties. "
When Gaia detects asteroids, astronomers immediately receive information. via an online alert systemso that they can make follow-up observations. Such observations require a telescope of at least 1 meter in diameter, added ESA officials.
If astronomers confirm the same asteroid orbit seen by Gaia, the object is cataloged by the Minor Planet, the world organization responsible for collecting information on asteroids, comets and other small bodies. Although Gaia does not find a new asteroid, his observations can tell us more about the orbits of already known asteroids, ESA officials said.
"Until now, dozens of asteroids detected by Gaia have been observed from the ground in response to the warning system, all belonging to the main belt, but it is possible that asteroids close to Earth are also detected in the future, "ESA officials added.
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