Toutatis Asteroid - 3D Model

Formerly dubbed as one of the strangest objects in the solar system, the mystery of the asteroid Toutatis used to perplex astronomers who studied it.  First discovered by French astronomers in 1989, the asteroid starting stumping astronomers due to its irregular rotation and orbit.  The rotation of Toutatis resembles a show, poorly thrown football instead of the perfect spiral rotation that most asteroids have. 

Radar images from observations in 2012 of Toutatis indicate that the asteroid is irregularly shaped with ridges and possibly craters.  At approximately 4.8 km in diameter, its chaotic orbit is potentially hazardous to Earth and the other terrestrial planets it approaches.

Includes:

• Informative flyer with facts about the asteroid's discovery and features
• Clear acrylic riser for desk display

Model Size: 5.801 x 2.890 x 2.424 cm 

Astronomy magazine exclusive