Posted by BC on February 2nd, 2010
In late January, HST revealed an “X” pattern of debris that appeared like comet material. The difference was that the nucleus was not inside the debris, but ahead of it. What HST showed was what scientists believe is the remnants of a collision of two asteroids.
P/2010 A2 is the name of the asteroid material and main nucleus. The material is being swept back, away from the nucleus, by the pressure of sunlight. The size of P/2010 A2 is a mere 460 feet in diameter, but it travels at 11,000 miles per hour. A collision of that intensity is extreme and spreads the debris out into the surrounding area. To read more on this amazing discovery, read the NASA article “Hubble Sees Suspected Asteroid Collision.”