Asteroid Number 101955
Discovered September 11, 1999 by the Lincoln Laboratory Near-Earth Asteroid Research Team at Socorro.
Bennu was an Egyptian mythological figure associated with Osiris, Atum and Ra. This minor planet is the target of the OSIRIS-REx sample return mission. OSIRIS-REx's Touch-and-Go Sampler evokes Bennu's image as a heron. Name suggested by Michael Toler Puzio (b. 2004) via a naming contest for students.
last updated 1-23-2026.
An Ancient Egyptian sun-god who is said to be the soul of Ra/Re.
An egyptian bird, probably a sacred animal.
I drew the sigil for Bennu.
The Bennu bird is one of the most powerful and poetic figures in ancient Egyptian mythology. Revered as a symbol of creation, rebirth, and eternal renewal, the Bennu was closely associated with the sun and the cyclical nature of life itself.
According to Egyptian belief, the Bennu emerged at the moment of creation, rising from the primeval waters of Nun and alighting on the first mound of land. Its cry was said to mark the beginning of time. Because of this, the Bennu became deeply linked to Ra, the sun god, and later to Osiris, god of the afterlife, reinforcing its role as a bridge between life, death, and resurrection.
Visually, the Bennu was often depicted as a large bird resembling an ibis or heron, sometimes crowned with solar imagery. These depictions suggest the myth was inspired by real Nile birds, transformed through religious symbolism into something divine. Unlike later fire-based myths, the Bennu was not consumed by flames; its renewal was spiritual and cosmic rather than destructive.
The influence of the Bennu extended far beyond Egypt. Greek writers encountered the myth and adapted it into the legend of the phoenix, a bird reborn from its own ashes. While the phoenix emphasized fiery rebirth, the Bennu retained a quieter, more primordial symbolism—renewal through order, balance, and divine continuity.
In Egyptian culture, the Bennu represented hope: that life renews itself, that chaos gives way to order, and that endings are never truly final. It remains a timeless emblem of endurance, transformation, and the eternal rhythm of the universe.
So, there's some controversy on whether the bennu bird is an ibis.
yes… kind of — but it’s more mythological equivalence than strict biology.
Here’s the breakdown 🐦✨
🦩 Ibis (real bird) - A real wading bird with a long curved beak
Native to Africa and the Middle East
Sacred in ancient Egypt, especially the sacred ibis
Strongly associated with Thoth, god of wisdom and writing
🔥 Bennu (mythic bird)
A mythological bird in Egyptian religion
Symbol of creation, rebirth, and the sun
Closely tied to Ra and Osiris
Often considered a precursor to the Greek phoenix
Where they overlap
Ancient Egyptian art and texts often depict the Bennu as an ibis-like bird (sometimes more heron-like). Because of that, many scholars believe the Bennu was inspired by real ibises or herons. So visually and symbolically, they blend together
The key difference
Ibis = biological species
Bennu = divine, symbolic being
An ibis is to a Bennu what a lion is to a sphinx.
Related, but not identical.