NASA Uncovers Surprising Findings Regarding Asteroid 'Dinky'
NASA's Lucy Mission Discovers Unique Contact Binary System in the Asteroid Belt
In an unexpected turn of events during its journey, NASA's Lucy mission made a surprising discovery while flying by the asteroid Dinkinesh on November 1, 2023. The mission, which initially aimed to study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids, unexpectedly encountered a pair of merged moons around Dinkinesh, now named Selam.
Selam, the satellite of Dinkinesh, forms a contact binary system, a rare phenomenon in the solar system. Two bodies in close contact or orbiting very near to each other, possibly formed through a process of gentle merging or capture, characterise contact binary systems.
The proposed explanation for the formation of Selam is linked to the dynamics of small asteroid systems. Centrifugal forces from fast rotation or other mechanisms like the YORP effect can cause mass shedding from a parent asteroid. This mass can then aggregate to form one or more satellites that may eventually come into contact or merge, forming a contact binary system like Dinkinesh and Selam.
Lucy's spacecraft observations during its flyby of Dinkinesh revealed this contact binary nature, providing direct evidence of such a system in the main asteroid belt. This discovery not only adds to our understanding of the formation of small celestial bodies like asteroids but also offers potential for exciting new research in the field of celestial bodies.
Binaries of this type are not common in the solar system, making Selam a new and intriguing structure. According to scientific findings published in a journal, the formation of Selam may have occurred under the effect of solar heat, causing heating of Dinkinesh's surface and unevenly pushing the asteroid, making it spin faster. This fast spin caused Dinkinesh to shed bits of material that coalesced to form Selam.
Dinkinesh, chosen as an interesting candidate for the study of asteroids and their characteristics, was altered in its route in January 2023 to include the small main-belt asteroid as its first destination. The scientific objectives of the Lucy mission have been expanded due to the discovery of Selam, opening the way for new research and potential for exciting discoveries in the future.
The Lucy mission continues its journey to Jupiter's Trojan asteroids, with the discovery of Selam serving as a testament to the mission's potential for unveiling the mysteries of our solar system. The merger of Selam is a new aspect of our solar system that the Lucy mission has helped to explore, providing valuable insights into the process of creation of small celestial bodies.
Selam, the first contact binary satellite ever seen, is composed of two connected lobes. This discovery has opened the way for new research and has sparked the interest of scientists worldwide. The discovery of Selam offers potential for exciting new research in the field of celestial bodies and further highlights the potential of the Lucy mission to uncover the secrets of our solar system.
The discovery of the contact binary system named Selam, found during NASA's Lucy mission while studying Jupiter's Trojan asteroids, offers intriguing insights into the formation of small celestial bodies, particularly asteroids. This unique system, formed through a potentially heat-induced fast spin causing material shedding and coalescence, also presents potential for exciting new research in the realm of health-and-wellness, as understanding the dynamics of small celestial bodies can aid in earthbound applications. Additionally, the discovery of Selam has significant implications for the field of environmental-science, as it expands our knowledge of space-and-astronomy, thus broadening our understanding of the solar system.
