Young asteroids look old

Artist’s impression of how the solar wind makes young asteroids look old. After undergoing a catastrophic collision, the colour of an asteroid gets modified rapidly by the solar wind so that it resembles the mean colour of extremely old asteroids. After the first million years, the surface “tans” much more slowly. At that stage, the colour depends more on composition than on age.

Credit:

ESO/M. Martins

About the Image

Id:eso0916a
Type:Artwork
Release date:22 April 2009
Related releases:eso0916
Size:3447 x 1772 px

About the Object

Name:Asteroid
Type:Solar System : Interplanetary Body : Asteroid
Category:Illustrations
Solar System

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