An asteroid that has split due to rotational fission (artist’s impression)

This artist’s impression shows an asteroid that has split up to due to rotational fission and become a binary. New work shows that such binaries will break apart and form two separate asteroids on similar, but independent, orbits around the Sun if the larger piece is more than five times as massive as the smaller.

Credit:

ESO/M.Kornmesser/L. Calçada

About the Image

Id:ann1051a
Type:Artwork
Release date:26 August 2010, 10:00
Related announcements:ann1051
Size:4000 x 2827 px

About the Object

Name:Asteroid
Type:Solar System : Interplanetary Body : Asteroid
Category:Illustrations
Solar System

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