Exploring New Horizons: NASA's Lucy Spacecraft Discovers Binary Asteroid During Dinkinesh Flyby

?? On November 1, 2023, NASA's Lucy spacecraft achieved a milestone by not just encountering its first asteroid but two! The exciting journey provided us with a captivating view of the asteroid Dinkinesh, revealing an astonishing secret – it's a binary pair.

??? An Eye on the Universe

During this extraordinary flyby, Lucy's Long-Range Reconnaissance Imager (L’LORRI) captured detailed images of Dinkinesh. One image even showed the satellite emerging from behind the asteroid, creating a breathtaking "moonrise" moment. From a range of approximately 270 miles, this image offered a unique perspective, emphasizing the asteroid's jagged surface and awe-inspiring dimensions.

?? "Dinkinesh really did live up to its name; this is marvelous," exclaimed Hal Levison, Principal Investigator for Lucy. In the Amharic language, 'Dinkinesh' translates to 'marvelous,' perfectly encapsulating the wonder of this discovery. The addition of Dinkinesh, two Trojan moons, and now this binary asteroid has turned Lucy's mission up to 11.

?? A Fascinating Binary System

Before the spacecraft's encounter with Dinkinesh, there was speculation that it might be a binary system, due to fluctuations in its brightness observed by Lucy's instruments. The initial images left no room for doubt – Dinkinesh is indeed a close binary. The larger body measures approximately 0.5 miles in width, while the smaller one is about 0.15 miles in size.

?? A Stellar In-Flight Test

This encounter served as an in-flight test of Lucy's capabilities, specifically focusing on the system that allows the spacecraft to autonomously track an asteroid as it speeds by at 10,000 mph. The successful test of the terminal tracking system has proven its effectiveness even in challenging scenarios.

?? Gleaning Insights

While this encounter had engineering goals, scientists are eager to analyze the data for insights into the nature of small asteroids. Dinkinesh presents a unique opportunity as the smallest main belt asteroid ever seen up close. Its binary nature adds an extra layer of excitement and curiosity for researchers. As we compare it to near-Earth asteroid binaries like Didymos and Dimorphos, we anticipate intriguing discoveries.

?? The Path Forward

The Lucy team will spend the coming week downlinking the remaining data from the spacecraft, which will help evaluate its behavior during the encounter. This mission sets the stage for Lucy's next close-up examination of the main belt asteroid Donaldjohanson in 2025. With each new revelation, Lucy is becoming even better prepared for its ultimate mission – studying the Jupiter Trojan asteroids starting in 2027.

Stay tuned for more cosmic adventures and groundbreaking discoveries from NASA's Lucy spacecraft!

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