University of Arizona planetary science expert Dante Lauretta is set to release the first complete atlas of an asteroid of the world along with a very unlikely figure - Brian May, the lead guitarist of legendary band Queen, who is also a little-known astrophysicist.&nbsp;

The duo teamed up to author "Bennu 3-D: Anatomy of an Asteroid', a book which has been described the first three-dimensional and complete atlas of an asteroid.

The book, which will release on Thursday (July 27) features data and images from the Osiris-Rex mission, an undertaking between the University of Arizona and NASA for collecting samples from Bennu, which is a near-Earth asteroid.&nbsp;

The mission, which started on 8 September 2016, will come back to Earth on 24 September 2023. The mission is expected to bring back “pristine material from Bennu – rocks and dust collected from the asteroid’s surface in 2020” and will provide scientists with a window into the space formation 4.5 billion years ago when the planets and sun were at forming stage, said NASA.&nbsp;

As per NASA, Bennu is among the most potentially hazardous asteroids and carries a comparatively high probability of impacting the planet in the late 22nd century. The Osiris-Rex mission will determine various attributes of Bennu which includes its physical and chemical properties, which, as NASA described, “will be critical to know in the event of an impact mitigation mission”.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/nasa-unveils-the-trajectory-of-five-asteroids-approaching-earth-610988">NASA unveils the trajectory of five asteroids approaching Earth</a>

<h2>Unseen stereoscopic three-dimensional images of asteroid&nbsp;</h2>

In addition to featuring the first atlas of an asteroid in the world, the new book of Lauretta and May will include Bennu's previously unseen stereoscopic three-dimensional images, as well as an analysis of what it reveals about life's origin.

In the preface of the book, Lauretta, writing about his first meeting with May back in 2016, narrates, “Brian and I corresponded briefly about the mission and my hometown of Tucson, Arizona, where he had spent some time enjoying the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert and using it for self-reflection, as many do,” reported Tucson.com.&nbsp;

“I was, of course, a huge fan of Brian’s music,” wrote Lauretta, who is the leader of the Osiris-Rex mission, adding, “The fact that I was corresponding with one of my childhood heroes was beyond cool."&nbsp;

“As the OSIRIS-REx mission progressed, I couldn’t help but share some of the latest developments with him … To my delight, Brian showed a keen interest in the mission and the science behind it. It was clear that he was not just a casual fan, but a true space enthusiast and an advocate for space exploration," he added.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Numerous asteroids fast moving towards the Earth

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/numerous-asteroids-fast-moving-towards-the-earth-616106/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Eventually, May was brought by Lauretta on to the mission, who alongside his collaborator Claudia Manzoni, made stereo images using original images which were collected by the Osiris-Rex cameras.

Talking about the mission, May stated that it “undertook by far the most intimate exploration of any asteroid to date, and here are the results, the fruits of the labours of a huge team of top scientists and engineers”.

“Our aim has been to deliver this extraordinary portrait in a form which is understandable and enjoyable to scientists and non-scientists alike,” he added.

You can&nbsp;now write for&nbsp;wionews.com&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

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University of Arizona planetary science expert Dante Lauretta is set to release the first complete atlas of an asteroid of the world along with a very unlikely figure - Brian May, the lead guitarist of legendary band Queen, who is also a little-known astrophysicist.

University of Arizona planetary science expert Dante Lauretta is set to release the first complete atlas of an asteroid of the world along with a very unlikely figure - Brian May, the lead guitarist of legendary band Queen, who is also a little-known astrophysicist. The duo teamed up to author "Bennu 3-D: Anatomy of an Asteroid', a book which has been described the first three-dimensional and complete atlas of an asteroid. The book, which will release on Thursday (July 27) features data and images from the Osiris-Rex mission, an undertaking between the University of Arizona and NASA for collecting samples from Bennu, which is a near-Earth asteroid. The mission, which started on 8 September 2016, will come back to Earth on 24 September 2023. The mission is expected to bring back “pristine material from Bennu – rocks and dust collected from the asteroid’s surface in 2020” and will provide scientists with a window into the space formation 4.5 billion years ago when the planets and sun were at forming stage, said NASA. As per NASA, Bennu is among the most potentially hazardous asteroids and carries a comparatively high probability of impacting the planet in the late 22nd century. The Osiris-Rex mission will determine various attributes of Bennu which includes its physical and chemical properties, which, as NASA described, “will be critical to know in the event of an impact mitigation mission”. ALSO READ | NASA unveils the trajectory of five asteroids approaching Earth Unseen stereoscopic three-dimensional images of asteroid In addition to featuring the first atlas of an asteroid in the world, the new book of Lauretta and May will include Bennu's previously unseen stereoscopic three-dimensional images, as well as an analysis of what it reveals about life's origin. In the preface of the book, Lauretta, writing about his first meeting with May back in 2016, narrates, “Brian and I corresponded briefly about the mission and my hometown of Tucson, Arizona, where he had spent some time enjoying the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert and using it for self-reflection, as many do,” reported Tucson.com. “I was, of course, a huge fan of Brian’s music,” wrote Lauretta, who is the leader of the Osiris-Rex mission, adding, “The fact that I was corresponding with one of my childhood heroes was beyond cool." “As the OSIRIS-REx mission progressed, I couldn’t help but share some of the latest developments with him … To my delight, Brian showed a keen interest in the mission and the science behind it. It was clear that he was not just a casual fan, but a true space enthusiast and an advocate for space exploration," he added. WATCH | Numerous asteroids fast moving towards the Earth Eventually, May was brought by Lauretta on to the mission, who alongside his collaborator Claudia Manzoni, made stereo images using original images which were collected by the Osiris-Rex cameras. Talking about the mission, May stated that it “undertook by far the most intimate exploration of any asteroid to date, and here are the results, the fruits of the labours of a huge team of top scientists and engineers”. “Our aim has been to deliver this extraordinary portrait in a form which is understandable and enjoyable to scientists and non-scientists alike,” he added. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Queen guitarist in his astrophysicist avatar to release 3D atlas of asteroid

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Queen guitarist in his astrophysicist avatar to release 3D atlas of asteroid