In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of planetariums, samples from asteroids Itokawa and Ryugu, brought back by the Japanese asteroid probes Hayabusa and Hayabusa2, are simultaneously exhibited in a nationwide tour. The relay tour will continue until May 2025 through the cooperation of member museums of the Japan Planetarium Association.

Organizers: Planetarium 100th Anniversary Commemorative Project Executive Committee, Astromaterials Science Research Group (ASRG ISAS/JAXA)
Co-organizers: UTokyo Organization for Planetary Space Science (UTOPS), Nagoya City Science Museum

For details, please refer to the following URL.

https://100.planetarium.jp/?page_id=4591

UTokyo Organization for Space and Planetary Science (UTOPS) cooperated with the exhibition “Sample Return from Asteroids” held from December 17, 2024 (Tue) to January 13, 2025 (Mon) in the permanent exhibition room on the 2nd floor of the Earth Hall, National Museum of Nature and Science.

Samples from the asteroids Itokawa and Ryugu, brought back to Earth by JAXA’s asteroid explorers Hayabusa and Hayabusa2, and sample from the asteroid Bennu, brought back to Earth by NASA’s asteroid explorer OSIRIS-REx, were displayed side by side. The samples of the three asteroids were exhibited to the public simultaneously for the first time in the world.

For details, please refer to the following URL.

https://www.kahaku.go.jp/event/2024/12hayabusaMMX/