Earth and Space Sciences Regents, January 2026, question 33
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What the figure shows
The passage says Bennu orbits the Sun at a mean distance of about 1.1 astronomical units (AU), where 1 AU is the mean distance between Earth and the Sun. A model, not drawn to scale, shows the paths of Earth, Bennu and the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft around the Sun, with launch on Sept. 8, 2016, arrival at Bennu on Dec. 3, 2018, and start of orbit around Bennu on Dec. 31, 2018. The four answer choices are tables. Each gives Earth's period of revolution as 365.26 Earth days and Earth's mean distance from the Sun as 149.6 million kilometers (km). For Bennu, choice 1 gives 365.26 days and 169.0 million km; choice 2 gives 370.26 days and 149.6 million km; choice 3 gives 436.65 days and 169.0 million km; choice 4 gives 436.65 days and 299.2 million km.
How to think about it
Check Earth's values in the Solar System Objects Data Table first. Then turn Bennu's mean distance of 1.1 AU into million kilometers using Earth's distance. Finally check that each Bennu period fits its distance, using how the period of revolution changes with distance from the Sun.
A student wanted to identify the mathematical and computational information needed to determine when OSIRIS-REx could land on Bennu. Which table correctly lists the period of revolution and mean distance data needed to predict when OSIRIS-REx will cross Bennu’s orbit, allowing it to land on Bennu? Earth’s Period of Revolution (Earth Days) 365.26 Earth’s Mean Distance from Sun (million km) 149.6 Bennu’s Period of Revolution (Earth Days) 365.26 Bennu’s Mean Distance from Sun (million km) 169.0
Reference table: Solar System Objects Data Table (2024 edition, page 2)