For a long time, astronomers ignored small asteroids, considering them to be just rocky debris interfering with observations of distant stars. They have even been called “sky parasites.” But researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have changed the idea of these cosmic bodies.
Thanks to image analysis techniques developed back in the 1990s, they were able to find the smallest asteroids in the main belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Among the objects found are debris as small as 10 meters across. These discoveries are important for understanding the origin of meteorites and strengthening planetary defenses.
Previously, scientists could only identify large asteroids that exceeded a kilometer in width. Smaller objects were lost amidst the noise of the telescopic images. But the MIT team used a “shift” method to collect a series of images of the same region of the sky. This helped to identify faint objects that were previously invisible.
Using data from the TRAPPIST and SPECULOOS telescopes, as well as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the team found 138 new asteroids, the maximum size of which is no larger than the size of a bus. JWST, which is designed to explore distant galaxies and exoplanets, its ultra-sensitive instruments can also detect the heat of even small asteroids in the Solar System.
These new findings have significant practical implications. Small asteroids, while not capable of destroying life on Earth, as happened 66 million years ago when all species of dinosaurs died out, can cause significant destruction. Early detection of such objects allows tracking their orbits and developing effective defense strategies.
Early detection of such objects allows tracking their orbits and developing effective defense strategies. According to Artem Burdanov of MIT, this is an important step in improving planetary defense.
In addition to protecting the Earth, studies of small asteroids provide a better understanding of the evolution of the Solar System. Their large number indicates that they are formed by collisions of larger objects that break up into smaller debris.
“This is a totally new, unexplored space we are entering, thanks to modern technologies. It’s a good example of what we can do as a field when we look at the data differently. Sometimes there’s a big payoff, and this is one of them,” notes Artem Burdanov of MIT.
This technique opens up new perspectives for space exploration. Small asteroids once thought to be “garbage” are now an important key to understanding both our solar system and Earth’s future.
Earlier we reported on how NASA’s warning system predicted an asteroid hitting Earth.
Provided by Space
