Bennu is a near-Earth asteroid that is the target of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft mission. It is a primitive, carbon-rich asteroid that is believed to hold clues about the formation and evolution of the early solar system, as well as the origins of life on Earth.
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Bennu is a near-Earth asteroid approximately 1,640 feet (500 meters) in diameter, with a mass of about 85 million tons.
Bennu is classified as a B-type asteroid, which indicates it is a primitive, carbon-rich body that has undergone minimal geological processing since the formation of the solar system.
The OSIRIS-REx mission aims to collect a sample from Bennu's surface and return it to Earth by 2023, allowing scientists to study the asteroid's composition and potentially gain insights into the origins of life.
Bennu has a relatively high probability of impacting Earth in the late 22nd or 23rd century, making it a potentially hazardous asteroid that is being closely monitored by astronomers.
Studying the composition and properties of Bennu can help scientists better understand the formation and evolution of the early solar system, as well as the role of asteroids in delivering water and organic compounds to Earth.
Review Questions
Describe the key characteristics of the asteroid Bennu and explain why it is a target of scientific interest.
Bennu is a near-Earth asteroid that is approximately 1,640 feet (500 meters) in diameter and has a mass of about 85 million tons. It is classified as a B-type asteroid, which indicates that it is a primitive, carbon-rich body that has undergone minimal geological processing since the formation of the solar system. The OSIRIS-REx mission aims to collect a sample from Bennu's surface and return it to Earth, allowing scientists to study the asteroid's composition and potentially gain insights into the origins of life and the formation and evolution of the early solar system. Additionally, Bennu has a relatively high probability of impacting Earth in the late 22nd or 23rd century, making it a potentially hazardous asteroid that is being closely monitored by astronomers.
Explain the significance of Bennu's classification as a carbonaceous chondrite and how this relates to the OSIRIS-REx mission's objectives.
Bennu is classified as a B-type asteroid, which indicates that it is a primitive, carbon-rich body that is believed to be similar in composition to carbonaceous chondrite meteorites. Carbonaceous chondrites are considered to be some of the oldest and most unaltered materials in the solar system, providing valuable insights into the formation and composition of the early solar system. The OSIRIS-REx mission aims to collect a sample from Bennu's surface and return it to Earth, allowing scientists to study the asteroid's composition in detail. By analyzing the sample, researchers hope to gain a better understanding of the origins of life and the processes that shaped the early solar system, as the carbon-rich materials on Bennu may have played a crucial role in delivering water and organic compounds to Earth.
Evaluate the potential impact of the OSIRIS-REx mission's findings on our understanding of the formation and evolution of the solar system, as well as the origins of life on Earth.
The OSIRIS-REx mission's study of the asteroid Bennu has the potential to significantly advance our understanding of the formation and evolution of the solar system, as well as the origins of life on Earth. As a primitive, carbon-rich asteroid, Bennu is believed to be a remnant of the early solar system, and the materials it contains may provide insights into the processes that shaped the formation of the planets and the delivery of water and organic compounds to Earth. By collecting and analyzing a sample from Bennu's surface, the OSIRIS-REx mission can help scientists better understand the composition and structure of these early solar system materials, which could in turn shed light on the conditions and mechanisms that led to the emergence of life on our planet. The findings from this mission have the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the origins of life and the fundamental processes that govern the evolution of planetary systems, with far-reaching implications for our knowledge of the universe and our place within it.
Related terms
Near-Earth Asteroid: A near-Earth asteroid is an asteroid with an orbit that brings it into close proximity with Earth, defined as within 1.3 astronomical units (AU) of the Sun.
OSIRIS-REx: OSIRIS-REx is a NASA spacecraft mission that launched in 2016 to study the near-Earth asteroid Bennu, collect a sample from its surface, and return the sample to Earth for detailed analysis.
Carbonaceous chondrites are a type of primitive, carbon-rich meteorite that are believed to be some of the oldest and most unaltered materials in the solar system, providing insights into the formation and composition of the early solar system.