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Hubble Witnesses Mysterious Breakup of Asteroid

Posted by samzenpus on from the it's-not-you-it's-me dept.

astroengine writes "Hubble has observed some weird things since it was launched in 1990, but this is probably one of the strangest. In September 2013, the Catalina and Pan-STARRS sky surveys spotted a mysterious object in the asteroid belt, a region of rocky debris that occupy the space between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Follow-up observations by the Keck Observatory in Hawaii resolved three separate objects within the fuzzy cloud. It was so strange that Hubble mission managers decided to use the space telescope to get a closer look. And what they saw has baffled and thrilled astronomers in equal measure. 'This is a really bizarre thing to observe — we've never seen anything like it before,' said co-author Jessica Agarwal of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Germany. 'The break-up could have many different causes, but the Hubble observations are detailed enough that we can actually pinpoint the process responsible.'"

19 of 69 comments (clear)

  1. ITS HAPPENING by Moheeheeko · · Score: 4, Funny

    I, for one, welcome our new asteroid pulverizing overlords.

    1. Re:ITS HAPPENING by Cryacin · · Score: 2

      So an Anaconda crashed into an asteroid and blew it up. He had insurance.

      --
      Science advances one funeral at a time- Max Planck
    2. Re:ITS HAPPENING by Dishwasha · · Score: 2

      So.....you're welcoming...solar wind? The sun? I don't know how long you've been here, but the sun and its wind have been around for quite some time. Or did you just not RTFA?

  2. Aliens by nurb432 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Simple industrial ( mining ) accident. I wonder of they have their own version of OSHA.

    --
    ---- Booth was a patriot ----
    1. Re:Aliens by gadget+junkie · · Score: 2

      Simple industrial ( mining ) accident. I wonder of they have their own version of OSHA.

      Nah, the actual event would be obscured by an insane amount of paperwork.

      --
      "If a boss demands loyalty, give him integrity. But if he demands integrity, give him loyalty." (John Boyd, 1927-1997)
  3. Wasn't mysterious by geekoid · · Score: 2, Funny

    There friends have seen it coming for weeks.

    heh

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  4. My guess? by oodaloop · · Score: 3, Funny

    The Millennium Falcon crashed. The odds of successfully navigating an asteroid belt are...well, they're not good, let's just leave it at that.

    --
    Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
    1. Re:My guess? by oodaloop · · Score: 3, Funny

      That doesn't make any sense, since it would have to have taken in place in some sort of prequel, which was never made.

      --
      Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
  5. Three more words by geekoid · · Score: 3, Funny

    Your post was five words.

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  6. King Ghidora by Arkiel · · Score: 2

    "The images clearly showed a golden three-headed space dragon emerge from the cloud of debris. The eerie, high-pitched laughter of an alien demon filled the NASA command center before a bolt of gold space-lightning took out the Hubble telescope."

  7. Some asteroids ... by PPH · · Score: 5, Informative

    ... have the structural integrity of a dust bunny.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  8. /. is dead by Nimey · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Someone really felt the need to explain what the asteroid belt is.

    --
    Hail Eris, full of mischief...

    E pluribus sanguinem
  9. They are (almost) here.... by flyonthewall · · Score: 2

    Another obstacle removed on Vogon's galactic highway clearing.

    Not much time left here...

    --
    "The avalanche has already started. It's too late for the pebbles to vote." - Kosh
  10. Ah, by no-body · · Score: 2

    one can see those effects on freeways.
    Round truck tire carcasses on the roadside.

    Mysterious reason:

    Rotational forces overcome structural integrity and thing goes bust.

    Maybe use Hubble to zoom in on one of those smoking tires and document the event?

  11. Absolutely nothing happened today in Sector 83 ... by DeadDecoy · · Score: 4, Funny

    I repeat absolutely nothing happened today in Sector 83 by 9 by 12. Please go about your day.

  12. The Port Authority by Latent+Heat · · Score: 2

    "I think its time for some 'traffic problems' in the Asteroid Belt."

  13. Better Picture by linebackn · · Score: 5, Funny

    That site is really script heavy, here is a direct link to a clearer picture: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wi...

  14. ...and enhance! by Dutchmaan · · Score: 4, Funny

    > - - - - - `( ).

    Player 1 SCORE: 150

  15. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 2

    Comment removed based on user account deletion