# @planetary_pan on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/CTz2uunvAgz
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/33110521-planetary-pan-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/288114cf24.jpg
- **Posted:** 2021-09-14T17:21:28.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Beth Johnson (@planetarypan) — https://gondola.cc/planetarypan

## Caption

Simple Physics Solves Mystery of Diamond-Shaped Asteroids⠀
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The previous hypothesis on how asteroids become diamond-shaped involved the spin of the asteroid pushing material up and down to the poles; however, simulations never matched reality. Instead, the modeled asteroids ended up flattened and asymmetrical. Lead author Dr. Tapan Sabuwala explains: We found that these models were missing a key ingredient, the deposition of material. And a simple granular physics model, normally used for the deposition of grains like sand or sugar, could predict the observed shape.⠀
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The press release includes this fabulous description: Imagine pouring sand or sugar through a funnel. A cocktail of different forces will ensure that it forms a conical pile (like a party hat).⠀
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Add in the gravity orientation of the asteroids, which is not that of a sandpile, as well as the rotation, and voila. The simulated asteroid had a diamond shape. ⠀
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Read my full story: https://buff.ly/3kajkes⠀
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IMAGE: Two diamond shaped, rubble-pile asteroids have been observed near Earth, and were photographed by unmanned spacecrafts in 2018 and 2019. In this image, a photograph of one of the asteroids, Bennu, is shown on the left. On the right, a simulation using the model is shown. As can be seen, the shape of the simulation matches that of Bennu. CREDIT: OIST⠀
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#planetaryscience #planetaryexploration #asteroid #bennu #ryugu #jaxa #hyabusa2 #osirisrex #nasa #oist #space #science #solarsystem #computermodel #simulation

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## Tags

osirisrex, nasa, space, asteroid, hyabusa2, planetaryexploration, planetaryscience, oist, bennu, science, jaxa, ryugu, simulation, solarsystem, computermodel

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