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Health & Science5h 30m ago

The OSIRIS-REx mission acquired spatially resolved visible-near infrared (VNIR) and thermal infrared (TIR) spectra across four candidate sampling sites on asteroid (101955) Bennu.

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asteroid (101955) Bennu

Who
Emma-Catherine Belhadfa, Neil E. Bowles, Katherine A. Shirley, Amy A. Simon, Victoria E. Hamilton, Hannah H. Kaplan
What
The OSIRIS-REx mission acquired spatially resolved visible-near infrared (VNIR) and thermal infrared (TIR) spectra across four candidate sampling sites on asteroid (101955) Bennu.
When
Sat, 13 Jun 2026 17:05:10 GMT · 5h 30m ago
Where
asteroid (101955) Bennu ·
Why
To quantify heterogeneity across a small body like Bennu, researchers explored remotely observed spectral data to draw conclusions about mineralogical composition and physical processes driving surface variability.
The Frontline Impact

How this affects you

Researchers have found measurable spectral heterogeneity on asteroid Bennu's surface, indicating variations in hydration and silicate composition, which will be crucial for contextualizing future laboratory analyses of returned samples. This deepens our understanding of asteroid compositions and the evolution of celestial bodies.

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5 events in this thread
  1. Health & Science5h 30m ago
    The OSIRIS-REx mission acquired spatially resolved visible-near infrared (VNIR) and thermal infrared (TIR) spectra across four candidate sampling sites on asteroid (101955) Bennu.
    Open article
  2. Health & Science5h 30m ago
    The OSIRIS-REx mission acquired spatially resolved visible-near infrared (VNIR) and thermal infrared (TIR) spectra across four candidate sampling sites on asteroid (101955) Bennu.
    Open article
  3. Currently Reading5h 30m ago
    The OSIRIS-REx mission acquired spatially resolved visible-near infrared (VNIR) and thermal infrared (TIR) spectra across four candidate sampling sites on asteroid (101955) Bennu.
  4. Health & Science5h 30m ago
    The OSIRIS-REx mission acquired spatially resolved visible-near infrared (VNIR) and thermal infrared (TIR) spectra across four candidate sampling sites on asteroid (101955) Bennu.
    Open article
  5. Health & Science5h 30m ago
    The OSIRIS-REx mission acquired spatially resolved visible-near infrared (VNIR) and thermal infrared (TIR) spectra across four candidate sampling sites on asteroid (101955) Bennu.
    Open article

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