The surface of the asteroid Ryugu taken by the Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa-2... 162173 Ryugu is a carbon-rich near-Earth asteroid explored by Hayabusa2, which successfully collected material and brought it back to Earth in 2020. Ryugu measures about 900 meters (2,953 feet, or roughly 0.56 miles) across—about the length of eight football fields—and has a distinct spinning-top shape created by its rapid rotation. It is classified as a C-type asteroid, meaning it contains carbon-based compounds, hydrated minerals, and ancient material that has remained largely unchanged since the early Solar System. Analysis of the returned samples revealed organic molecules, water-related minerals, and dust grains dating back more than 4.5 billion years to the solar nebula. Because it has not experienced significant melting or internal layering like larger planetary bodies, Ryugu is considered a primitive remnant from the earliest stages of planetary formation.(Historic Vids)