Scientists recently spotted a puzzling feature on the surface of asteroid Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid studied by the NASA mission OSIRIS-REx. In images taken during the mission’s recent flyby of the asteroid, an unexpectedly large crater has been seen in the northern pole of Bennu, indicating that the asteroid was likely struck by something very large and fast many millions of years ago. The crater is particularly mysterious because it is “filled in” with material, which has scientists puzzled. It’s not yet known what caused this strange feature, but the researchers hope to learn more when the mission returns to Bennu in 2020.
