Study Puts Solar Spin on Asteroids, their Moons & Earth Impacts

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These twin circular lakes in Quebec Canada were formed by the impact of an asteroidal pair which slammed into the planet approximately 290 million years ago. (Courtesy NASA)
These twin circular lakes in Quebec, Canada were formed by the impact of an asteroidal pair which slammed into the planet approximately 290 million years ago. (Courtesy NASA)

Asteroids with moons, which scientists call binary asteroids, are common in the solar system. A longstanding question has been how the majority of such moons are formed. In this week's issue of the journal Nature, a trio of astronomers from Maryland and France say the surprising answer is sunlight, which can increase or decrease the spin rate of an asteroid.


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