NASA | How Sunlight Pushes Asteroids

The video discusses how some asteroids, like Bennu, leave their usual paths and come close to Earth. The Osiris Rex Mission aims to study these asteroids, focusing on the Yankovski effect, which is a force caused by heat radiation that can alter an asteroid's path. This effect is more significant on smaller asteroids and can be influenced by factors like composition and shape. By understanding these dynamics, scientists hope to predict asteroid movements and assess potential threats to Earth.

What is unique about asteroids like Bennu compared to most other asteroids?

• They are made of ice.

• They have a faster rotation speed.

• They can leave their usual regions and come close to Earth.

• They are larger than most asteroids.

What is the Yarkovsky effect?

• A gravitational pull from the sun.

• A collision between two asteroids.

• A force caused by the emission of heat from an asteroid.

• A magnetic field around an asteroid.

How does the Yarkovsky effect influence an asteroid's path?

• It changes the asteroid's speed.

• It alters the asteroid's direction over time.

• It increases the asteroid's size.

• It makes the asteroid spin faster.

Which factors can modify the Yarkovsky effect on an asteroid?

• The asteroid's composition and shape.

• The asteroid's color.

• The asteroid's distance from the sun.

• The asteroid's age.

What is the goal of NASA's Osiris Rex Mission regarding the Yarkovsky effect?

• To land on the asteroid Bennu.

• To measure the temperature of asteroids.

• To study the Yarkovsky effect and predict asteroid paths.

• To capture images of the asteroid belt.