When the lander MASCOT, carried by Hayabusa2, touched down on asteroid Ryugu, it did not detect a magnetic field, even though meteorites that are spectroscopically similar to Ryugu have trace of one.
asteroids
Tiny Fireballs May One Day Reveal Unseen Asteroids
The tiny fireball that flew over Japan in 2017 came from an asteroid that could threaten Earth in 10 million years or so. Scientists are trying to use these little meteors to hunt larger objects.
Location, Location, Location: The How-to’s of Asteroid Sampling
Finding the right spot to grab a sample of Bennu was more of a challenge than the OSIRIS-REx team had originally planned.
Deadly Collision Blows an Asteroid Apart
Active asteroids lurk in the asteroid belt, unseen until they’re blown to smithereens.
Nearby Asteroid Is Mysteriously Devoid of Dust, Lander Reveals
Close-up images of Ryugu, a near-Earth asteroid and the target of the Hayabusa2 sample return mission, reveal a rocky, dustless world that may have formed from a giant collision.
On the Prospect of Ancient Metallic Volcanism on Asteroids
There is a possibility of ancient volcanism on metallic asteroids, a new type of volcanism that is not yet observed, though the Psyche mission to the asteroid Psyche may change that soon.
Metal Asteroid Inspires Works of Art
Student artists explore a mysterious metallic world through acrylic, ceramic, LEDs, and even string.
First Analysis of Asteroid Water Reveals Earth-Like Makeup
Samples returned from the surface of an asteroid show that these small bodies may have more water than previously thought and could have delivered that water to Earth.
Asteroid Visited by Mission Spews Rocks into Space
Mission scientists observed 11 separate particle ejection events in a 1-month period. They are still trying to figure out what could be causing the particle plumes.
All About Bennu: A Rubble Pile with a Lot of Surprises
Asteroid Bennu has been under close scrutiny since December. Here are six key results from the first few months of data from OSIRIS-REx.