Incredibly Clear Picture Taken Of Asteroid In Space Has People Creeped Out For Same Reason

An absolutely stunning photo of an asteroid has captured a lot of attention on social media, and it seems everyone is thoroughly impressed.

Let's talk about asteroids. These rocky bodies are believed to be composed of materials such as clay, silicate rocks, and nickel-iron.

Asteroids are some of the oldest celestial objects in our solar system and they generally appear dark.

The Curiosity X social media page recently posted an incredibly sharp image of an asteroid, and it seems like everyone is making the same comment about it.

Curiosity X has stated that the asteroid shown in the picture is called Ryugu and they describe the photo as the 'clearest ever taken.'

Ryugu is considered a potentially hazardous asteroid because it comes very close to Earth. 

Clearest image ever taken of asteroid Ryugu X / @MAstronomers

However, it's also significantly important for research.

NASA has provided some details about it: "Asteroid Ryugu, a near-Earth and potentially hazardous asteroid, is classified as a Cb-type asteroid, which has a dark surface and a diameter of ~1 kilometer.

"It is considered to be made of water-rich and carbonaceous materials, important key elements that are relevant to life on Earth. 

"The study of Ryugu and the returned carbonaceous samples will provide important information about the origin and evolution of the solar system, in particular, the inner planets."

Although the image provides a detailed view of the asteroid, people seem to be more intrigued by something else.

An asteroid is a rocky object - thought to consist of clay, silicate rocks, and nickel-iron. Getty Stock Image

As we all understand, space is dark and, to be honest, quite a fearsome place.

However, upon viewing the photograph, several social media users expressed feeling 'uneasy' due to the eerie darkness surrounding the asteroid.

One individual commented: "The black is more interesting than the rocks... It's just eternal endless darkness."

Another person remarked: "So weird that when you look up at night, you see all the stars, but Astronauts say its pitch black when they are in space. I dont get it."

And yet another added: "Space is cold, dark, empty. This pic is wonderful, though."

In a recent revelation, experts pinpointed the exact date when another asteroid, known as Bennu, might collide with Earth.

Bennu, an asteroid familiar to us because it orbits close to Earth every six years, poses a potential threat.

Asteroid Bennu. NASA

In a particular day in September, many years from now, there is a possibility that Bennu might actually impact our planet.

To prevent this potential disaster, NASA has been actively devising strategies to alter Bennu’s path and avert a collision.

Their mission has now reached the 'final leg,' highlighting the urgency of their efforts.

Richard Burns, the project manager for OSIRIS-REx at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, shared insights about the mission. 

He explained: "We are now in the final leg of this seven-year journey, and it feels very much like the last few miles of a marathon, with a confluence of emotions like pride and joy coexisting with a determined focus to complete the race well."

NASA has acknowledged that while there is a possibility of collision, the chance of Bennu hitting Earth on September 24, 2182, is 'extremely small.'