Psyche May Not Be So Metal After All

An analysis of asteroid 16 Psyche’s gravitational effects on nearby bodies determines it must be less dense and less iron-rich than previously determined by its albedo.

IMAGE: An artist’s rendering of Psyche, the largest of the metal-rich asteroids in the solar system. CREDIT: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU

A new mission is expected to launch this year to go and examine an interesting asteroid, 16 Psyche. That asteroid is…