Amateur astronomers from NASA have made a groundbreaking discovery, finding 15 rare active asteroids that have comet-like tails or shells made of gas and dust. This discovery, announced by NASA’s Active Asteroids Project, challenges conventional beliefs about the solar system and will help scientists better understand the formation and evolution of our solar system.
The discovery was made possible by over 8,000 volunteers who sifted through 430,000 images captured by the Victor M. Blanco Telescope’s Dark Energy Camera in Chile, originally used for studying dark matter. Among those volunteers, Virgilio Gonano from Italy expressed his excitement, calling it a dream come true to be involved in such a significant discovery.
Studying these rare active asteroids not only sheds light on the origins of water on Earth, but it also has potential implications for future space exploration. The ice that forms the comet-like tails of these asteroids could potentially be used to power rockets or provide breathable air for astronauts.
Tiffany Shaw-Diaz, a volunteer from Ohio, shared her dedication to the project, stating that it has become a significant part of her life. She looks forward to classifying research subjects every day and is honored to collaborate with esteemed scientists.
The Active Asteroids Project was initiated by Colin Orion Chandler, a scientist at the University of Washington, and the research findings were published in the Astronomical Journal. NASA highlighted the importance of asteroids as remnants from the formation of the solar system billions of years ago, with over 1.3 million known asteroids currently in existence.
This discovery of rare active asteroids not only expands our knowledge of the solar system but also showcases the power of collaboration between amateur astronomers and professional scientists.