New images after the impact of DART in Dimorphos: the asteroid has sprouted a ‘tail’

The world watched in anticipation as NASA’s DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) spacecraft intentionally crashed last Monday, September 26, into Dimorphos, the small moon of the two-asteroid system: the first planetary defense mission was all exit. Or, at least, it accomplished its goal of hitting a target comparable to trying to hit a mosquito 70 kilometers away. After the technical feat, it is now up to scientists to find out if its main objective, which was to deflect Dimorphos from its orbit around the larger asteroid, called Didymos. And for this, several ‘eyes’ will be pending in the coming months to analyze the possible new trajectory of the space rock that has served as a ‘guinea pig’ to test the technology that could be key to divert a possible object that is heading directly towards Earth. One such ‘eye’ is the 4.1-meter Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope (SOAR), at NSF’s NOIRLab’s Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. Two days after impact, astronomers Teddy Kareta (Lowell Observatory) and Matthew Knight (US Naval Academy) used this instrument to capture the large plume of dust and debris thrown up from the asteroid’s surface. Related News standard No The Webb and Hubble telescopes simultaneously capture NASA’s impact on an asteroid Judith de Jorge standard Yes The impact with the asteroid has been a success: now the science begins José Manuel Nieves The image shows an impressive trail of dust, the ejecta that has been expelled by the Sun’s radiation pressure, similar to the tail of a comet, extending from the center to the right edge of the field of view. Scientists estimate that trail spans at least 10,000 kilometers from the point of impact. “It is amazing how clearly we have been able to capture the structure and scope of the aftermath in the days after the impact,” Kareta explains in a statement. “Now begins the next phase of work for the DART team, analyzing their data and observations from our team and other observatories around the world,” added Knight. MORE INFORMATION news The first images of the moment of the impact of DART on the asteroid Dimorphos are not published These observations will allow scientists to acquire knowledge about the nature of the surface of Dimorphos, how much material and how fast it was expelled by the collision, in addition to the particle size distribution in the expanding dust cloud (i.e. whether the shock has resulted in large chunks or only fine dust). Analyzing this information will help scientists understand exactly what has happened and make future plans should an asteroid threaten Earth.