These stunning images caught by the Hubble Space Telescope show asteroid ‘P/2013 R3’ breaking apart. According to NASA this never before seen phenomena shows the fragments ‘leisurely drifting away from each other at one mile per hour’.
The process began last year and is unlikely to have been caused by a collision with another asteroid. NASA explain the most likely cause is attributed to the effect of sunlight causing the rotation rate to increase and resulting in a subsequent pulling apart of the asteroids components parts.
Either way it sure makes for some beautiful images.
Source: NASA
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