Cosmic version of 'Peter Pan' discovered by astronomers
13 Oct 2009, 1453 Hrs

Add comment          Mail          Print          Write to Editor

London, October 13 Astronomers have identified the cosmic version of 'Peter Pan', namely a 600 km-wide asteroid that started out on the process of becoming a planet but never grew up into the real thing.

Called '2 Pallas', it is one of the largest asteroids in the Solar System.

Now, according to a report by BBC News, the Hubble telescope has provided new insight on the space rock.

Hubble's data makes it possible to discern surface features, including what appears to be a big impact crater.

The new information is expected to help scientists better understand how planets evolve in their earliest phases.

"Pallas is a unique piece of the puzzle of how our Solar System formed," said Britney Schmidt, of the University of California, Los Angeles, who led the observations.

Pallas resides some 400 million km from the Sun, in between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

It was the second object discovered in the main asteroid belt (hence the name, 2 Pallas), in 1802.

Theory holds that planets grow from aggregations of the dust and rock found circling new-born stars.

Collisions between clumps of material produce progressively bigger objects.

Eventually, a few will become large enough, and hot enough, to start to undergo differentiation - a process of layering in which the densest materials move to the centre of the object to form a core.

In the case of Pallas, this process appears to have initiated, but its slightly irregular shape suggests it never quite moved to completion.

"Whether you could form a core is something we can't really determine with these observations, but Pallas is big enough and round enough that it's very possible that its interior started to separate out," Schmidt told BBC News.

"Ceres is perfectly round and so there's a really good chance that that happened. For Pallas, it may be just that this process got started but never finished," she said. (ANI)

Related Latest

China wants a Chinese version of Tibetan Buddhism, says Dalai Lama Winston Churchill's World War II cigar discovered after 60 years Peter Andre refused to return to I'm A Celebrity Jordan pines for ex hubby Peter Andre on 'I'm a Celeb' Peter Andre in 500k pounds underwear deal Celeb psychologist says Peter Andre is handling divorce better than Jordan Peter Andre 'finds new love in Alexandra Burke' Han Dynasty city ruins discovered in China's Inner Mongolia Peter Andre glad to have his six-pack abs back Peter Andre wins 'sex doll' libel

Related Latest

US to give crucial information on Headley-Rana accomplice's 26/11 role to India Restoration of Mughal road in J-K heads towards completion China wants a Chinese version of Tibetan Buddhism, says Dalai Lama Cultural heritage of Manipur showcased in Sikkim Green Park stadium's scoreboard, the only manually operated scoreboard in India Dalai Lama hopes PM will discuss Tibet issue with the U.S. leadership 3 injured in fire at Jodhpur's handloom showroom White House prepares for first state visit by Manmohan Singh Bamboo fencing on Nainital's hillside roads to prevent mishaps Indian Navy vessel on solo circumnavigation of world reaches New Zealand

• US to give crucial information on Headley-Rana accomplice's 26/11 role to India
• Restoration of Mughal road in J-K heads towards completion
• Cultural heritage of Manipur showcased in Sikkim
• Green Park stadium's scoreboard, the only manually operated scoreboard in India
• White House prepares for first state visit by Manmohan Singh

• भारतीय क्रिकेट की मजबूत दीवार
• कंगारूओं के आगे ढेर, चीतों से कैसे मुकाबला करेंगें शेर
• Reducing greenhouse gases may not be enough to slow global warming
• बीकानेर महापौर चुनावः एक विश्लेषण
• Deepawali: The Festival Of Lights