Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
NASA’s Lucy spacecraft, during its flyby of asteroid Dinkinesh, revealed an unexpected finding in November 2023.
Photos : NASA
Researchers discovered a satellite asteroid orbiting Dinky, named “Selam,” which turned out to be a contact binary—two moons fused together.
The findings, including the binary nature of Selam, were detailed in a paper published in the journal Nature on May 29, 2024.
The discovery challenges prevailing theories on the formation of asteroids and provides insights into the internal structure and evolutionary history of Dinky and Selam.
According to Professor Jessica Sunshine of the University of Maryland, the findings highlight the complexity of small celestial bodies and their role in understanding planetary formation.
The fast spinning motion of Dinky, possibly induced by sunlight reflection, led to the shedding of rocky debris, some of which formed Selam, while others created ridges on Dinky.
The discovery paves the way for comparative studies with similar celestial bodies and enhances understanding of planetary formation processes.
Dinkinesh and Selam are the first of 11 asteroids to be explored by NASA’s Lucy spacecraft over a 12-year journey, providing crucial insights into celestial body formation.
NASA’s mission aims to understand the formation of celestial bodies, laying the groundwork for unravelling the mysteries of planetary formation and evolution.