Water found surface of asteroid Iris and Massalia by NASA observatory SOFIA

Finding water in space on any planet or celestial body other than Earth would be a major achievement. And space scientists have made a very important discovery in this regard. Scientists have discovered water particles on asteroids. This is the first time that traces of water have been found on an asteroid. Finding water particles on any other celestial body in the solar system is being called a major success, which opens the door to the possibility of life on some other nearby planet in the future.

NASA space scientists studied four silica-rich asteroids based on data collected by the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA).via) have done. Although SOFIA has now been retired, its Faint Object Infrared Camera (FORCAST) has shown that two asteroids – Iris (Iris) and Massalia (Massalia) are showing a special kind of wavelength, which indicates that there is water on their surface. There may be particles of.

in san antonio Southwest Research Institute From Anisia Arredonado, lead author of the study have to say That asteroids are rocky fragments left over from the process that occurred during the formation of the solar system. Therefore, depending on where in the solar nebula they were formed, their structure may be different. The most important thing in this is the finding of water on the asteroid, because from here we can know how water would have come to Earth.

Even before this, water particles have been found in asteroid samples. But those samples were tested after being brought to Earth. But, this is the first time that the presence of water particles has been detected on an asteroid present in space. SOFIA had earlier also detected water particles on the surface of the Moon. These were found in one of the largest craters in the moon’s southern hemisphere. Now scientists are linking the presence of water particles on these two asteroids with the discovery of water found on the Moon. It is being said that this water may exist with mineral salts. Or it may be present adsorbed on silica. However, after the discovery of water on asteroids, scientists are engaged in further study in this direction.