COLLAPSED OBSERVATORY OFFERS ASTEROID WARNING FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE
Scientists have published a huge study on near-earth asteroids using data from the collapsed Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. The study contains information on 191 asteroids, using observations collected from the now-defunct Arecibo between December 2017 and December 2019. The data can be used for clues about the spin periods and sizes of many of these asteroids. Observations from Arecibo have contributed to planetary defence efforts, including the recent Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), and characteristics of several potentially hazardous asteroids are included in the new paper, which details numerous interesting findings, including two asteroids with abnormally high radar albedos, or reflectivity, suggesting they could be metal-rich. Another highly reflective asteroid, the rare equal-mass binary 2017 YE5, was suggested to have ice below its surface instead of metal richness due to its low bulk density. Overall the data is valuable in a number of ways, including holding potential clues to the evolution of the Solar System and containing valuable information for future endeavours such as asteroid mining.