Studying asteroids, remnants from planetary formation, sheds light on their evolution and composition, offering insights into the distribution of materials in space and the potential transport of water to other planets that could support life.
Scientists studied two asteroids rich in silicates. Water molecules were discovered either trapped in the glass formed from impacts or chemically bonded to other minerals.
An international team of scientists has discovered water molecules on the surface of an asteroid for the first time. Using data from the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), a Boeing 747-based telescope that operated between 1996 and 2022, researchers discovered the distinct mid-infrared signatures of water molecules on four silicate-rich asteroids. The presence […]