The meteorite that fell in 2018 is part of Vesta, the largest asteroid in the solar system

Little Asteroid It affected Postwana In 2018 it probably came Vesta, Second Asteroid Further Good Ours Organization The sun And purpose Mission Dawn From NASA.

‘S meteorite is guided by an astronomer Company Set Peter Janiskens, an international team, discovered 23 meteorites deep in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and is now publishing their findings Meteors And planet Science.

“Combining observations of small asteroids in space with information from meteorites shows that it may have come. Vesta“Janiskens said in a statement.” Billions of years ago, two major impacts Vesta They formed a family of large and dangerous asteroids. The newly recovered meteorite gave us a clue as to when those impacts may have occurred. “

The small asteroid that struck Botswana, Called 2018 Law, Was first discovered as a faint point of light between stars by the Catalina Sky Survey at the University of Arizona. Catalina Sky Survey searches for crossing asteroids Land As part of a planetary defense program NASA.

“Asteroids the size of a small meter are not a danger to us, but they do develop the ability to detect approaching asteroids,” said Eric Christensen, director of the Catalina Sky Survey Project.

The computer program recovered the file data Skymapper Southern Survey In Australia the meteorite is shown rotating in space, rotating once every four minutes, alternating wide and narrow side when reflecting sunlight.

On your journey Land, Cosmic rays bombed the asteroid and formed radioactive isotopes. By analyzing these isotopes, the researchers determined it 2018 Law It was a solid rock measuring 1.5 meters, which reflected 25% of the sunlight.

“This is the second time an asteroid has collided in space Land“Janiskens said.” First Asteroid 2008 TC3 In Sudan ten years ago. “Janiskens also led the search Excerpts from TC3 2008.

Europa Press

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