The RAMSES mission is (unofficially) going forward. The prime contractor, OHB Italia, has been awarded funding– many millions of Euros. RAMSES, if you aren’t in the loop, is a mission to scout out potentially-hazardous asteroid (PHA) 99942 Apophis before its… Read More »RAMSES’ important figure
Squeaking in the November 1 issue (vol. 384) of Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta: Beyersdorf-Kuis, U. Ott, U. Trieloff, M. Complex irradiation history of chondrules and matrix- A study of CR2 and some other meteorites p. 65 .09.012 Asteroids (and thus… Read More »Note, Paper: Beyersdorf’s Bodies
Yes, an incoming impactor was detected before impact. Object 2024 UQ was spotted (by the ATLAS telescope system) and reported back to the NEOCP (the Minor Planet Center‘s Confirmation Page). A trajectory solution determined that the object was likely to… Read More »Pre-detection of Impacting Meteor 2024 UQ
In Nature Astronomy today (21 Oct.): Matthew A. Pasek, Ryugu’s unexpected phosphorus materials, s41550-024-02387-5 Not only was phosphate in asteroids significant (as I already blogged), but it’s news enough to have the journal Nature bring in an expert to give… Read More »Nature Review Piece- Yes, Nature
Sorry, but I forgot the Astronomical Journal for September. In Volume 168, Number 3, 2024 September 2, there was one paper to mention, but what a mention: Yu, L-L. Probe the Regolith Characteristics of Asteroids from 9 yr Infrared Observations… Read More »Note, Paper: Beagle exploration…
Is there something also happening at Science group, something positive? In Science Advances Vol. 10, Issue 39, two things positive: De Sanctis, M. C. Baratta, G. A. Brucato, J. R. et al. Recent replenishment of aliphatic organics on Ceres from… Read More »Note, Paper: Sci Adv, also Ad ast
Catching up with Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, vol. 382, for Oct: Sugawara, S. Fujiya, W. Kawasaki, N. et al. Update on the 53Mn-53Cr ages of dolomite in the Ivuna CI chondrite and asteroid Ryugu sample p. 40 .08.013Anand, A. Spitzer, F.… Read More »Note, Paper: Chimica et Atomica
The Astrophysical Journal doesn’t usually fall in my purview, except today. From vol. 973, September 20: Shoji, D. Reactive Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Micrometeoroid Bombardment for Space Weathering of Asteroid (162173) Ryugu art. 13 ad70b0 Ground telescopes had classed Ryugu… Read More »Note, Paper: Aquaphysical J
This one’s big, and by that I don’t mean “Ceres.” Pamerleau, I. F. Sori, M. M. Scully, J. E. C. An ancient and impure frozen ocean on Ceres implied by its ice-rich crust, Nature Astronomy 18 Sep 2024 s41550-024-02350-4 First… Read More »Note, Paper: Serious Ceres Ice
News: we have spotted a new “Mini-Moon” (Temporarily-Captured Orbiters, or more specifically a Temporarily-Captured Flyby): iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2515-5172/ad781f de la Fuente Marcos, C. de la Fuente Marcos, R. A Two-month Mini-moon: 2024 PT5 Captured by Earth from September to November, Res. Notes AAS,… Read More »4th Known TCO (“Mini-Moon”)