Most Asteroids are Not in the Asteroid Belt
Simulations show that the Oort cloud contains eight billion asteroids (in addition to hundreds of billions of comets). Do these asteroids pose a threat to Earth?
Albedo as a quick proxy for asteroid compositions
Obtaining high-resolution spectra of asteroids is challenging. Measuring asteroid albedos in broad photometric wavebands is relatively easy, and potentially provides useful information about surface composition.
Water vapor found on dwarf planet Ceres
Large plumes of water vapor were recently found on the dwarf planet Ceres in the asteroid belt. Using Ceres’ rotation, astronomers have located two possible sources for the water vapor on the surface.
Water found in remains of planetary system around a white dwarf
Astronomers have found evidence of water in the remains of a planetary system around a white dwarf. This indicates water-rich asteroids can bring water to terrestrial planets, important for the habitability of planets.
What’s Next For Kepler?
NASA is looking for a new mission for the damaged Kepler space telescope. Here are some ideas.
How to Drag an Asteroid to Earth
With some assistance from gravity, it is possible with currently-available technologies to bring small asteroids into orbit next to Earth to be studied and mined.