Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Muskan Arora
NASA confirmed that the orbit and shape of asteroid Dimorphos underwent significant changes following the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission's intentional crash into it.
The spacecraft deliberately collided with the 170-meter-wide asteroid on September 26, 2022, as a demonstration of kinetic impactor technology, aimed at deflecting hazardous asteroids potentially on a collision course with Earth.
A study published in the Planetary Science Journal highlighted how the impact altered not only the asteroid's motion but also its shape, transforming it into a "triaxial ellipsoid" resembling an oblong watermelon.
Dimorphos' orbit was no longer circular, with its orbital period reduced by 33 minutes and 15 seconds compared to before the impact, indicating a significant alteration in its trajectory.
Prior to the impact, Dimorphos had a symmetrical "oblate spheroid" shape, akin to a squashed ball wider than it was tall. Post-impact, the asteroid's shape changed dramatically.
Researchers utilized three primary data sources, including images from DART, radar observations from the Goldstone Solar System Radar, and light curve data from ground telescopes worldwide.
Radar observations revealed that DART's impact surpassed expectations, leading to swift changes in Dimorphos' motion and shape, validating the mission's effectiveness.
Dimorphos periodically eclipsed Didymos, resulting in "mutual events" recorded as temporary dimming in the light curve. Analysis of these events offered valuable insights into the asteroids' dynamics.
The study underscored the success of NASA's DART mission and its implications for understanding asteroid dynamics and potential planetary defence strategies.