Metal and Rock Revealed on Asteroid Surface

By Isabelle Parker

A telescope in northern Chile has revealed a world of rock and metal on the surface of the asteroid Psyche. The varied surface of the asteroid, which is located within the asteroid belt, suggests a history of impacts, eruptions, and lost mantle. Lead author on a paper for the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, Saverio Cambioni, says that "It’s an evolved surface, and these maps confirm that metal-rich asteroids are interesting, enigmatic worlds". NASA is set to launch a space probe to investigate the asteroid, which may help to reveal how early planets were created. The probe will explore the surface, which contains craters with ponds of fine grained metals. Traces of silicates found on the planet may also support the idea that the mantle was originally filled with silicates that have since disappeared.