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162173 Ryugu facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

162173 Ryugu is a space rock, also known as an asteroid, that travels close to Earth. It's about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) wide, which is like a small mountain floating in space. Ryugu is also very dark, almost like charcoal.

Scientists call Ryugu a "potentially hazardous object" because its path sometimes brings it near Earth. But don't worry! It's not expected to hit our planet. Scientists keep a close eye on asteroids like Ryugu to learn more about them and make sure they are safe.

The Hayabusa2 Mission

In June 2018, a special Japanese spacecraft called Hayabusa2 traveled all the way to Ryugu. Its job was to study the asteroid up close.

Hayabusa2 spent time orbiting Ryugu, taking many pictures and making important measurements. It even collected tiny pieces of the asteroid! These samples are very valuable because they can tell us about the early days of our solar system.

After finishing its work, Hayabusa2 left Ryugu in November 2019. It then made the long journey back to Earth, arriving on December 5, 2020. The samples it brought back are now being studied by scientists around the world.

Images for kids

  • Images of asteroid Ryugu from the wide angle Optical Navigation Cameras (ONC-W1 and ONC-W2) via Hayabusa2

    Images of the asteroid's surface made with Hayabusa2

  • .Animation of Hayabusa2 orbit

    Animation of Hayabusa2's orbit from 3 December 2014       Hayabusa2       162173 Ryugu       Earth       Sun

  • 41550 2021 1550 Fig5 ESM

    Samples of Ryugu returned by Hayabusa2

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: (162173) Ryugu para niños

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