Scientists explain why dangerous asteroid Bennu is diamond-shaped

Astronomers regularly study asteroids to understand what different celestial bodies were made of in the past, and

also in order to monitor how theywere located. Most asteroids are located in the asteroid belt, between Jupiter and Mars. It's too far from Earth for astronomers to study the asteroids' appearance and composition. But sometimes an asteroid changes its orbit and approaches Earth, so it can be photographed and partially studied.

This is how the photos of Bennu and Ryugu turned out:These are asteroids and are classified as those formed from many small pieces and debris. Only gravity holds them together. Astronomers have noted that asteroids have an unusual diamond shape. 

Previously, scientists believed that the diamond shape was obtaineddue to rotation: asteroid material moved from the poles to the equator. But when scientists modeled the shape and movement of asteroids, they were flat and asymmetrical. 

The authors of the new work found that in theseThe models were missing a key factor—the settling of material. Imagine pouring sand or sugar through a funnel: as a result, they form a conical pile. The authors used similar models that take into account various forces acting on an object for asteroids. 

Thus, instead of a conical shape, the shape was diamond-shaped: the centrifugal force caused by rotation decreases near the poles of the asteroids, so this is where the material accumulates. 

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