Astronomy Picture of the Day

                         Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! [1] Each day a different image or photograph of our
 fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a
                           professional astronomer.

                                2018 November 1
                    Hayabusa2 Ascends from Asteroid Ryugu
 Image Credit: JAXA [2] , U. Tokyo [3] , Kochi U. [4] , Rikkyo U. [5] , Nagoya
      U. [6] , Chiba Tech.</a/>, Meiji U. [8] , U. Aizu [9] , AIST [10]

Explanation: Will spacecraft Hayabusa2 be able to land safely on asteroid
Ryugu? Since arriving in June, pictures show that the surface of
kilometer-sized Ryugu [11] is covered with boulder [12] s, so that finding a
flat enough area for the bus-sized spacecraft [13] to touch down is proving a
challenge [14] . In the featured video [15] , the shadow of Japan's [16]
robotic Hayabusa2 [17] can be seen on the rugged face of Ryugu [18] while
ascending last week from a touchdown rehearsal only 20 meters over the
surface. Previously, small frisbee [19] -sized landers detached from
Hayabusa2, made contact with the diamond-shaped asteroid's surface [20] , and
started hopping [21]  around. Studying Ryugu [22]  could tell humanity [23]
not only about the minor planet [24] 's surface and interior, but about what
materials were available in the early Solar System [25]  for the development
of life [26] . The touchdown of the Hayabusa2 mother ship is slated for [27]
early next year, hopefully followed by a soil sample collection for return to
Earth.

                        Tomorrow's picture: star smoke

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    Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff [39] (MTU [40] ) & Jerry Bonnell [41]
                                  (UMCP [42] )
          NASA Official:  Phillip Newman Specific rights apply [43] .
              NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices [44]
              A service of: ASD [45]  at NASA [46]  / GSFC [47]
                           & Michigan Tech. U. [48]
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Site notes:
  [1] archivepix.html
  [2] http://global.jaxa.jp/about/index.html
  [3] https://www.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/story/newslett...
  [4] http://www.kochi-u.ac.jp/english/
  [5] http://english.rikkyo.ac.jp/academics/undergr...
  [6] https://www.phys.nagoya-u.ac.jp/en/
  [7] https://www.it-chiba.ac.jp/english/
  [8] http://www.isc.meiji.ac.jp/~physics/indexjp_e...
  [9] http://www.u-aizu.ac.jp/en/
  [10] https://www.aist.go.jp/index_en.html
  [11] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/162173_Ryugu
  [12] ap180507.html
  [13] http://global.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/hayabusa2/
  [14] http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/ry...
  [15] http://www.hayabusa2.jaxa.jp/en/topics/201810...
  [16] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan
  [17] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayabusa2
  [18] ap180822.html
  [19] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCeBkn7hjbM
  [20] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHvDO_fzZLs
  [21] ap180924.html
  [22] http://global.jaxa.jp/article/2014/interview/...
  [23] https://twitter.com/haya2e_jaxa
  [24] https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/small-bodies/ast...
  [25] https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/solar-system/our...
  [26] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abiogenesis
  [27] http://www.hayabusa2.jaxa.jp/en/news/schedule...
  [28] ap181031.html
  [29] archivepix.html
  [30] lib/apsubmit2015.html
  [31] lib/aptree.html
  [32] https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apo...
  [33] calendar/allyears.html
  [34] /apod.rss
  [35] lib/edlinks.html
  [36] lib/about_apod.html
  [37] http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?dat...
  [38] ap181102.html
  [39] http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  [40] http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  [41] https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnel...
  [42] http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  [43] lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  [44] https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Priv...
  [45] https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  [46] https://www.nasa.gov/
  [47] https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  [48] http://www.mtu.edu/

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