Travelers in the Night Eps. 317E & 318E: Psyche Water & Caves of Mars

Dr. Al Grauer hosts. Dr. Albert D. Grauer ( @Nmcanopus ) is an
observational asteroid hunting astronomer. Dr. Grauer retired
from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2006.
travelersinthenight.org


From August 2024.


Today's 2 topics:


- The asteroid Psyche may be one of the most expensive pieces of
real estate in the solar system. It is a small world about 116
miles in diameter and is composed of almost pure nickel-iron
metal. It is located in the asteroid belt between Mars and
Jupiter. Scientists find evidence that Psyche may be the exposed
core of a planet which was destroyed by collisions as it was
trying to form long ago.


- Presently the surface of Mars is very dry and any liquid water
that reaches it quickly boils away since the martian atmospheric
pressure is what you could experience in your space suit 30 to 50
miles above the Earth's surface. However, since the martian
gravity is about 1/3 that of the Earth, it's crust is less dense
and more porous than what we find on our home planet.


 


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