Astronomers have made a new discovery about an asteroid that is upending current scientific understanding.
Observations of an unusual asteroid known as Phaethon have revealed that its comet-like tail is not composed of dust particles, as is the norm. Instead, it is composed of sodium gas, per the study published in Planetary Science Journal.
Asteroid Phaethon was first discovered in October 1983, making it the very first asteroid spotted by a satellite, per NASA. It measures just over 3 miles in diameter. This object is also the origin of the annual Geminid meteor shower.
This celestial event occurs in December, whereas the annual Lyrid meteor shower already left glowing dust trails across our skies earlier this month, as The Dallas Express reported.
From the outset, Phaethon puzzled scientists, per NASA.
Despite its technical classification as an asteroid, the object demonstrated the ability to shed off meteoroids.
Then, in 2009, scientists observed the object brightening as it approached the sun, which is more akin to the behavior of a comet than an asteroid.
In 2018, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe captured more data from Phaethon, which suggested that the trail left behind a lot more material than a typical asteroid with a tail of dust, per the Washington Examiner.
Astronomers devised multiple theories to explain Phaethon’s odd behavior, such as the object being a rock comet, a dead comet, or a fragment of a larger object.
The new research sheds some light on the matter.
Qicheng Zhang, the study’s lead author, theorized that the increase in brightness observed as Phaethon approached the sun could be caused by sodium emissions.
Zhang used the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory spacecraft in a joint mission with NASA and the European Space Agency to observe the object in its latest approach in 2022.
This craft features color filters that can detect the presence of either dust or sodium.
“Our analysis shows that Phaethon’s comet-like activity cannot be explained by any kind of dust,” said Zhang, according to NASA.
This craft observed that the shape of the trail and apparent brightness gave off the signatures that would be expected if the trail were made of sodium, defeating the previous notion that the asteroid’s tail was made of dust.
“Not only do we have a really cool result that kind of upends 14 years of thinking about a well-scrutinized object, but we also did this using data from two heliophysics spacecraft –- SOHO and STEREO -– that were not at all intended to study phenomena like this,” said Karl Battams, an astrophysicist from the Naval Research Laboratory, per NASA.
This new discovery led Zhang and his team to challenge whether or not some previously observed comets are comets at all.
These scientists also came up with a new theory as to how Phaethon produces the Geminid meteor shower.
Their theory suggests that an asteroid previously separated from Phaethon and broke apart due to its rotation. This may have catalyzed the release of debris that continues to cause the meteor shower, but an exact cause for this event has not been identified.
The Geminid meteor shower will next appear in the skies on November 19 and last until December 24. Peak nights of activity will occur December 13-14.
If that’s too long to wait for a celestial show, you can check out the solar eclipse at around noon on October 14, as reported by The Dallas Express.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks