Asteroid Lutetia Revealed As a Protoplanet 102
astroengine writes "Asteroids visited by spacecraft have all turned out to be piles of rubble or chunks broken off of larger bodies, but that's not the case with 21 Lutetia, a 75-mile long, 47-mile wide body orbiting in the main belt of asteroids between Mars and Jupiter. Europe's comet-bound Rosetta probe flew by Lutetia last year and gave scientists a big surprise. With its dense body and an interior that seems to have survived intact, the large asteroid appears more like a protoplanet — a leftover building block from the formation of the solar system."
Re:Dimensions? (Score:5, Funny)
21 Lutetia, a 75-mile long, 47-mile wide body orbiting in the main belt of asteroids between Mars and Jupiter.
This is a science article on a science website. Why is there only two dimensions listed for a three dimensional object, and why are those dimensions measured in miles?
It's flat ... and carried on the backs of four enormous hippopotami (there were five, but one slipped and impacted into the surface of Lutetia) on the back of a giant newt.
Re:@Editor (Score:5, Funny)
Most of the world population doesn't read Slashdot.
The majority of Slashdot readers know what miles are.
Yes.
We are even familiar with Miles Statute, Miles Nautical and Miles Standish.
Re:Dimensions? (Score:4, Funny)