New Mini Moon Discovered by NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft
Dinkinesh, which translates to “you are marvelous” in Ethiopia’s Amharic language, has become the latest celestial sensation in the solar system. NASA’s spacecraft, Lucy, made an exciting discovery while visiting this minor asteroid—Dinkinesh has its own tiny sidekick.
This unexpected find occurred during Wednesday’s flyby of Dinkinesh, which is located a staggering 300 million miles away in the main asteroid belt beyond Mars. Lucy managed to capture an image of the two celestial bodies when it was approximately 270 miles away.
Analysis of the data and images transmitted back to Earth revealed that Dinkinesh measures a mere half-mile (790 meters) across. Its companion moon, circling closely around it, is even smaller, measuring just one-tenth of a mile (220 meters) in size.
The primary objective of sending Lucy past Dinkinesh was to gather valuable information and conduct a test run for future missions to more distant and enigmatic asteroids near Jupiter. Launched in 2021, Lucy is set to reach the first of these asteroids, known as Trojan asteroids, in 2027. The spacecraft will spend at least six years exploring and studying these fascinating celestial bodies. The initial target list of seven asteroids has now expanded to 11, showcasing NASA’s commitment to unraveling the mysteries of our solar system.
Hal Levison, the lead scientist at the Southwest Research Institute, expressed his amazement at the discovery, stating, “Dinkinesh really did live up to its name; this is marvelous.”
The findings add another fascinating chapter to our understanding of the vastness and complexity of the universe. As the spacecraft continues its mission, scientists eagerly await further discoveries and insights into the composition and behavior of these celestial neighbors.
The discovery of Dinkinesh’s moon serves as a reminder of the wonders that lie beyond our planet and the infinite possibilities that await exploration in the depths of space.
Associated Press contributed to this report.