Researchers: Ryugu asteroid part of ancient celestial body

A group of researchers at Hokkaido University in Japan and other institutes says the Ryugu asteroid explored by a Japanese probe appears to be a remnant of an early celestial body in the solar system from more than 4.5 billion years ago.

The group analyzed minerals contained in samples from Ryugu collected by the probe Hayabusa2.

The researchers say their analysis indicates that the parent body of the asteroid was formed earlier than 4.5653 billion years ago. They say this dates back to the period less than 2 million years after the beginning of the formation of the solar system.

Previous studies found that Ryugu was formed from a collection of fragments after its parent body broke apart, but it was not clear when the body was created.

The group says the latest findings could provide a clue to the formation of celestial bodies in the solar system.

Hokkaido University Associate Professor Kawasaki Noriyuki said he would also like to examine and compare the age of formation of another asteroid, samples of which were brought back by the US space agency NASA. He said he hopes to understand how those early celestial objects were made.