Asteroids May Have Many More Moons Than We Think
August 8, 2024, 10:30 PM
A groundbreaking discovery by the European space probe “Gaia” has revealed hundreds of new potential asteroid moons. This remarkable finding suggests that these celestial bodies may harbor many more companions than previously believed.
“Double asteroids are difficult to find because they are usually small and far away from us,” said Luana Liberato, the study’s author from the Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur. Despite this, researchers estimate that approximately one in six asteroids has a companion. However, only around 500 double asteroids have been identified out of the estimated one billion asteroids in our solar system.
The “Gaia” mission, designed to track the movements of billions of celestial objects, has provided invaluable data for this discovery. By meticulously measuring the positions and distances of asteroids, researchers can identify subtle wobbles in their orbits, indicating the presence of a companion.
This groundbreaking discovery suggests that our understanding of asteroid dynamics is far from complete. With the “Gaia” mission continuing its observations, we can expect to uncover many more hidden companions in the vastness of space.