Rare asteroid christened 16 Psyche may make everyone a billionaire on Earth

New Delhi: A massive metal asteroid lodged in space between Mars and Jupiter and known as 16 Psyche may well have the potential to turn everyone on Planet Earth into a billionaire. Unbelievable though it may sound, this asteroid is so rich in precious metals that if captured and divided equally amongst us, then every person on our planet will become a billionaire. The extraordinary asteroid is a 140-mile-wide (226-kilometer-wide) minor planet that could contain a core of iron, nickel, and gold worth nearly $10,000 quadrillion—an astounding sum, according to Forbes. Scientists are trying to explore this asteroid for a further comparison of its composition vis-à-vis the Earth’s. Space agency NASA’s planned Psyche mission is a program built to explore this metal-rich asteroid, which is in the pipeline and could be launched later this year. According to NASA, one of the most intriguing targets in the main asteroid belt is Psyche, a giant metal-rich asteroid that is about three times farther away from the Sun than Earth. The average diameter of the space rock lodged in the inner solar system is about 140 miles (226 kilometers) – this roughly translates into about one-sixteenth the diameter of the earth’s moon or about the distance between Los Angeles and San Diego in the US. Interestingly, NASA further mentioned that 16 Psyche might be the partial core of a shattered planetesimal-a small world the size of a city or small country that is the first building block of a planet. If that is what it is, asteroid 16 Psyche can offer a closer look at the interior of terrestrial planets like Earth, which is normally hidden beneath layers of mantle and crust. Astronomers on Earth have studied 16 Psyche in visible and infrared wavelengths, as well as on radar. These studies have suggested 16 Psyche looks somewhat like a potato in its rotund shape. The unique asteroid was discovered by Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis on 17 March, way back in 1852. He named the asteroid after Psyche, the Greek goddess of the soul who was born mortal and married Eros (Roman Cupid), the God of Love. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.