UWA Zadko Telescope helps reconstruct 'Barbarian' asteroids

Description

The University of Western Australia’s Zadko Telescope has been used by an international team to reconstruct the shape of a rare ‘Barbarian’ asteroid (space rock).

Named after the first asteroid of this type discovered, Barbara (234), Barbarians are a key to understanding how the solar system first formed. Barbarians are extremely rare and ancient, and were present before the Earth was created. Only 13 Barbarians have ever been discovered.

UWA School of Physics Zadko Director Associate Professor David Coward said in the creation of the solar system the space rocks were the foundation for planet formation, such as the Earth, and ultimately the start of life.