When we think of asteroids, images from movies like *Star Wars* often come to mind. We picture vast, rocky objects zooming through space. But did you know that not all asteroids are made of rock? One fascinating example is 16 Psyche, an asteroid the size of Massachusetts that is largely made of metal. Scientists believe it might be the leftover core of a planet that never fully formed. But how did it come to be this way?
An international team of scientists is getting closer to answering that question. They’ve studied how a big impact in the north polar area of 16 Psyche could have shaped its structure. Their findings were published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. This research could shed light on how planets like Earth formed during the early days of our solar system.
The researchers used computer models to create 3-D simulations of impacts on 16 Psyche. Since telescope images offer limited data and NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, which launched in October 2023, won’t reach the asteroid until August 2029, these simulations provide valuable insight in the meantime.
They noted that 16 Psyche is shaped like a potato and has a sizable impact basin at its north pole. The team explored whether its interior is uniform or layered, and how its porosity— or the amount of empty space inside— affects the formation of craters. They focused on what’s known as the depth-diameter ratio of craters, examining how deep a crater is compared to its width.
They came up with several hypotheses about what lies inside 16 Psyche, theories they aim to confirm once the spacecraft arrives. “One major finding was that porosity significantly influences crater formation,” said Namya Baijal, a PhD student at the University of Arizona and lead author of the study. “Our models show it’s crucial to consider this aspect during impact simulations.”
NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, set to arrive in 2029, aims to determine if 16 Psyche is indeed a remnant of an early planetary body. This exploration is groundbreaking because we have only scratched the surface of understanding Earth’s own interior; we’ve only drilled about 12 kilometers into our planet, which is less than 0.2% of the journey to Earth’s center.
Grasping the nature of 16 Psyche could help scientists understand not just our solar system but also other planetary systems beyond it. This understanding could inform where and how we look for life outside Earth.
As we await more insights from the Psyche mission, excitement continues to build in the scientific community. What will we learn about this metallic asteroid? Only time will tell. But that’s the thrill of science!
