Astronomers have discovered the smallest dwarf planet in the solar system
Recently, scientists have found that the largest cosmic stone is not an asteroid at all, but a planet, even a dwarf one.
Experts of the International Astronomical Union believe that a dwarf planet should be officially such, it must meet 4 requirements: to rotate around the sun, not to rotate around the planet (that is, not to be the moon), have an orbit and be rounded.
Within the solar system there are many objects that meet the first three requirements. For example, the entire main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. But recent research has shown that the largest cosmic rock is not an asteroid at all, but a planet, even a dwarf one.
Astronomers call it Hygea, and it is the fourth largest celestial body in the belt. It is surpassed by another dwarf planet, Ceres (945 kilometers in diameter), as well as the asteroids West (525 kilometers) and Pallas (512 kilometers).
Until recently, it was only known about it that it was a piece of oval rock with a diameter of 350 km in one direction and 500 km in the other, with a giant impact crater. To study it, astronomers had to use a very large telescope.
It turned out that the real diameter of the dwarf planet is 430 km, while its shape is more or less round. Gigeya rotation speed - 13.8 hours. The surface composition is close to Ceres, the same loose. The age of the impact crater is estimated at approximately 2 billion years.
[video = "qhTEQsH2xMA"]
Experts of the International Astronomical Union believe that a dwarf planet should be officially such, it must meet 4 requirements: to rotate around the sun, not to rotate around the planet (that is, not to be the moon), have an orbit and be rounded.
Within the solar system there are many objects that meet the first three requirements. For example, the entire main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. But recent research has shown that the largest cosmic rock is not an asteroid at all, but a planet, even a dwarf one.
Astronomers call it Hygea, and it is the fourth largest celestial body in the belt. It is surpassed by another dwarf planet, Ceres (945 kilometers in diameter), as well as the asteroids West (525 kilometers) and Pallas (512 kilometers).
Until recently, it was only known about it that it was a piece of oval rock with a diameter of 350 km in one direction and 500 km in the other, with a giant impact crater. To study it, astronomers had to use a very large telescope.
It turned out that the real diameter of the dwarf planet is 430 km, while its shape is more or less round. Gigeya rotation speed - 13.8 hours. The surface composition is close to Ceres, the same loose. The age of the impact crater is estimated at approximately 2 billion years.
[video = "qhTEQsH2xMA"]
