NASA’s Lucy Reveals Asteroid ‘Donaldjohanson’ May Be a Contact Binary

NASA’s Lucy Reveals Asteroid ‘Donaldjohanson’ May Be a Contact Binary

*June 2024 – NASA’s Lucy spacecraft has captured its first high-resolution images of the ancient asteroid Donaldjohanson, revealing surprising details about its shape, size, and possible origins during a recent close flyby at nearly 30,000 miles per hour.*

The asteroid, which lies in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, was imaged on Lucy’s journey to study Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids. The probe’s close encounter with Donaldjohanson marks a significant milestone for the mission as it provided an unprecedented glimpse into a relic from the early solar system.

Peanut-Like Shape Suggests Contact Binary Formation

One of the most remarkable outcomes from Lucy’s imaging campaign is the revelation of the asteroid’s unusual, elongated “peanut-shaped” silhouette. Initial measurements estimate Donaldjohanson’s longest dimension at about 2.6 miles (4.2 kilometers). According to NASA scientists, this shape is a strong indicator that Donaldjohanson may be a “contact binary”—an object formed when two separate bodies slowly came together and fused, rather than a single monolithic rock.

Contact binaries are of particular interest to researchers because they can reveal clues about the ancient collisions and gentle gravitational nudges that shaped the early solar system. The peanut-like structure, captured during Lucy’s rapid flyby, is consistent with observations of other contact binaries, supporting the theory that Donaldjohanson could be a merged artifact from two distinct, smaller bodies.

Key Observations from Lucy’s Flyby

Lucy’s onboard instruments were able to capture detailed images of Donaldjohanson despite the tremendous closing speed of around 30,000 mph (48,000 kph). The imaging revealed pronounced ridges, craters, and surface features along the asteroid’s midsection, further supporting the contact binary hypothesis. Scientists are now analyzing these data to better understand how contact binaries form and evolve.

The flyby also provided precise measurements of Donaldjohanson’s size and rotation. These details are expected to offer new insight into the asteroid’s composition and structural integrity. Understanding such bodies is critical for piecing together the timeline of our solar system’s evolution.

Part of a Larger Investigation

The Donaldjohanson asteroid flyby serves as a precursor for Lucy’s primary science objective: to explore the Jupiter Trojan asteroids, a population of objects thought to be remnants from the early solar system. Lucy’s next targets include several Trojan asteroids that could reveal even more about the birth and history of the planets.

NASA’s Lucy mission, named after the famous fossil that helped illuminate human origins, aims to do the same for our cosmic neighborhood—shed light on the origin and evolution of our solar system. The Donaldjohanson encounter demonstrates the probe’s capabilities and the surprises waiting in the unexplored regions of space.

Ongoing Analysis and Future Missions

Mission scientists continue to sift through the large volume of data collected during the flyby. As analysis progresses, the scientific community hopes that Donaldjohanson’s contact binary nature will be confirmed, unlocking new mysteries about asteroid formation.

In the meantime, Lucy continues on its multi-year journey, with more asteroid encounters scheduled, promising fresh discoveries about the building blocks of our solar system.

Read More:
– [NASA’s Lucy Probe Reveals True Shape And Size Of Ancient Asteroid In First Images – Mashable India](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiugFBVV95cUxNanFmU3VWZ2RWeGk1ZGh3bHFCN0tNWTRLenN3ZHJGLVZna2hvZU51Q3RJdGk0eEdQNlBpWVc0S3hybEVGYUdEVE8wREd0ZE9BbjctVnQ2R0JCbkVidmJRLS1WSkdrRXBnZXFWVFFBS2VyNEVVSldfSU5aMlpYaVV5cWxrMnN4SmhfSXNiaGVmWmRRbXdJQmFiUGJMaE5ZYU9qYS00eDJ3Uk16VDQwSVNVcnNKYUFDQ1g3T2c?oc=5)
– [Lucy Sees its Next Target: Asteroid Donaldjohanson – Universe Today](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikgFBVV95cUxQRjg4aGZhNHNQNmdLeUxMRnRUN1hHN3o2SFVSamx5UTlRUll2OVNOeVZqUkZndDNkSWtCRUpJSm15SWxVbnYwRmZ5ZDNBOGZlZFNqdGwzMDg1U2V5dFE5MjBrSVBrd0NJOUlIR1NIb2I1VUFENlNnN01tWmVLR2F0azBlMkRLZUZDNkpCaUVjUnBmUQ?oc=5)
– [NASA’s Lucy spacecraft captures images of peanut-shaped asteroid during 30,000 mph flyby – CBS News](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiggFBVV95cUxOSUZ3R3hYUC1uVlZ2TmdrWUFLQnNVNXhQd2k0V21BSHk1WjYwa1EybzR3UWJrX2EySFc4ZlVIaVMtMU9kVWpfTTVHZmViSHdkSk9JbWZlbXhSbUNYckdQRUZoTnp2TFJfQm91aGM3RkUtd2VHTW5sNU1EbmlaVDhjTVln0gGHAUFVX3lxTE55LWV0Ymh3VTNDeFUybzBvWlNULXRhanpEaFU1WTdaNUVGTTJkVjdaUGMySFd0NEZTOFUwZ2V3SUV4S0xGcXVTTlAyNlpxNkFUSkNoYVdPV3I4aUhlUzVKTm9sQ3VKZXV3cVVqdjN5eDNDazBxWDk4SVh3eXRhd2JyZVFZWTFTdw?oc=5)