General, Research, Technology

New Horizons received new data on the formation of planets

Theory of how planets form in ourThe solar system is refuted. This was reported by the authors of a study published in the journal Science. In the process of studying the asteroid Arrokot (Arrokoth, 2014 MU69) - the oldest and most distant asteroid in the Solar System, scientists drew attention not to its dual shape. It is thanks to Arrocott that astrophysicists confirmed the previously incredible hypothesis about how planets actually form. The work was presented at a meeting of the American Association for the Development of Science in Seattle. According to lead author of the study, Alan Stern, the discovery is of paramount importance.

This is what Arrocott looks like - the oldest and most distant asteroid in the Solar System

Refutation of the prevailing theory of planet formation

Researchers were able to study in detail the mostArrocott, a distant asteroid in the solar system, after the NASA New Horizons space probe flew by him. This gave scientists the opportunity to verify which of the two competing theories of planetary formation is correct, since Arrokot is the initial remnant of planetary formation from the moment the Solar System appeared (4.6 billion years ago). The asteroid is more than six billion kilometers from the sun in an area called the Kuiper belt.

To keep abreast of the latest scientific discoveries, subscribe to our news channel in Telegram

As researchers write in their work, an asteroidformed from two adjacent separate celestial bodies. It is noteworthy that these objects revolved around each other and gradually connected. This means that they were not subjected to any catastrophic processes (for example, to collisions). The flat surface of the asteroid, color and uniform composition indicate the correctness of the conclusions of astrophysicists.

New Horizons probe took unique pictures of an ancient asteroid

Until today, researchers believed thatplanets of the solar system formed as a result of collisions of various bodies of the solar nebula. The analysis did not reveal evidence of collisions and other traces indicating that the objects slowly merged into a single whole. It should be noted that the new theory of soft adhesion was developed by Professor Anders Johansen 15 years ago, and the objects of the Kuiper belt for the most part have not changed since the formation of the solar system. In fact, the asteroids in the Kuiper belt are fossils of several billion years old.

Read even more interesting articles about the latest discoveries of astrophysicists on our channel in Yandex.Zen

According to BBC News, Anders Johansen todaymarks confirmation of his theory with his daughter Laura. Six years ago, when Arrocott was discovered, he was known only under the name 2014 MU69. However, during the flight of New Horizons, he was given the unofficial name of Ultima Thule. While the name comes from the classic and medieval term “a distant place on the borders of the known world”, its use by the Nazi occultists as the mythical homeland of the Aryan race has caused controversy. As a result, the object received another official name Arrokot - an Indian term that means "sky" in the language of Powhatan.