Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2020 November 3

                          Tagging Bennu: The Movie
     Video Credit: OSIRIS-REx, NASA's GSFC, U. Arizona, Lockheed Martin

   Explanation: This is what it looks like to punch an asteroid. Last
   month, NASA's robotic spacecraft OSIRIS-REx descended toward, thumped
   into, and then quickly moved away from the small near-Earth asteroid
   101955 Bennu. The featured video depicts the Touch-And-Go (TAG)
   sampling event over a three-hour period. As the movie begins, the
   automated probe approaches the 500-meter, diamond-shaped, space rock as
   it rotates noticeably below. About 20 seconds into the video,
   Nightingale comes into view -- a touchdown area chosen to be relatively
   flat and devoid of large boulders that could damage the spaceship. At
   34 seconds, the shadow of OSIRIS-REx's sampling arm suddenly comes into
   view, while very soon thereafter rocks and gravel fly from the arm's
   abrupt hard impact. The wily spacecraft was able to capture and
   successfully stow some of Bennu's ejecta for return to Earth for a
   detailed analysis. This long return is scheduled to start in 2021 March
   with arrival back on Earth in 2023 September. If the return sample does
   successfully reach Earth, it will be scrutinized for organic compounds
   that might have seeded a young Earth, rare or unusual elements and
   minerals, and clues about the early history of our Solar System.

                    Tomorrow's picture: waves of gravity
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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