Rare metal asteroid, possibily a failed protoplanet analysed by scientists

[FfFfFfFF 58,070]

An asteroid made of iron and nickel first discovered in 1852 could have been a protoplanet, according to scientists.

Astronomers think that the asteroid, named, 16 Psyche is the exposed core of a full planet that didn't make it all the way, and we're itching to know more about it.

[...] Now, for the first time, 16 Psyche has been studied in ultraviolet wavelengths using the Hubble Space Telescope, revealing that, just as we thought, the dense chunk of space rock is remarkably metallic.

"We've seen meteorites that are mostly metal, but Psyche could be unique in that it might be an asteroid that is totally made of iron and nickel," said planetary scientist Tracy Becker of the Southwest Research Institute. "It's possible that as a Psyche protoplanet was forming, it was struck by another object in our Solar System and lost its mantle and crust."

"What makes Psyche and the other asteroids so interesting is that they're considered to be the building blocks of the Solar System," Becker said.

Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/this-asteroid-could-be-the-core-of-a-failed-planet-and-it-s-slowly-rusting, https://news.sky.com/story/hubble-telescope-used-to-study-rare-metal-asteroid-which-could-have-been-a-protoplanet-12118098

[auburn 1,072]

Strike us legend

[Purrrrrr 18,075]

hope it's not chromatica 

[StuckInMyMind 5,930]

1 minute ago, PlasticWeave said:

hope it's not chromatica 

I just knew somebody would say this 😂

[Bonkers 30,860]

Nickel?  Why not gold? 

Even if it was made out of quarters it would be worth 5 times as much. 

[TheSlash 14,539]

What I read: "Rare metal"

My mind, preparing:

[Damon 10,930]

Skinny legend yaaas come thru