Surprising astronomers, Bennu spits plumes of dust into space

It’s the first time astronomers have seen such activity on an asteroid

Bennu

BOULDERY BENNU  Near-Earth asteroid Bennu (shown in multiple views from the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft) surprisingly erupts plumes of dust from its rocky surface.

D.N. DellaGiustina et al/Nature Astronomy 2019

THE WOODLANDS, Texas — Like the “Peanuts” character Pigpen, the near-Earth asteroid Bennu moves around in a cloud of its own dust.