Between Mars and Jupiter, there lies an incredibly rare metallic asteroid worth more than the entire global economy. The Hubble Space Telescope has now provided us with valuable information about the object, which is worth 10 quadrillion dollars in US currency.
New research published this week in The Planetary Science Journal names the asteroid 16 Psyche. With the help of the Hubble telescope, it has been shown from a deeper perspective than ever before. Located around Mars and Jupiter, this asteroid is said to be one of the largest objects in the solar system.
It is located about 230 million miles from Earth. It is about 140 miles in diameter, or about the size of Massachusetts. Most asteroids are composed of rock or ice. But 16 psi is dense and mostly made of metal. Perhaps asteroid remnants are visible in telescopes.
Its mantle has previously collided with a “protoplanet”. This study marks the first observation of ultraviolet (UV) light. According to the new findings, the asteroid may be composed entirely of iron and nickel. “We’ve seen meteorites that are mostly metallic. But Psyche may be a unique asteroid that’s made entirely of iron and nickel,” lead researcher Dr. Tracy Baker said in a statement.
Earth also has a metallic core. There is likewise a mantle and a crust. It is likely that another object struck Psyche in our solar system, and its mantle and crust were damaged. Scientists believe that most of the surface may be composed of iron.