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Economic Times
21-04-2025
- Science
- Economic Times
Close shave for NASA's Lucy as spacecraft successfully fly past asteroid Donaldjohanson
NASA's Lucy spacecraft has successfully completed a close flyby of asteroid (52246) Donaldjohanson, located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The flyby occurred on April 20 and marks the second of 11 planned asteroid encounters for Lucy. Scientists will now analyse the collected data to prepare for Lucy's primary mission — the exploration of Jupiter Trojan asteroids starting in 2027. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Luci shuns to secure its instruments Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Warm-up targets prove fascinating What's next for Lucy? Lucy spacecraft: Background FAQs What is the significance of the asteroid Donaldjohanson? Donaldjohanson is a carbonaceous asteroid that probably fragmented from a larger body 150 million years ago. It is a test target before Lucy's main mission to investigate Trojan asteroids. When will Lucy travel to the Jupiter Trojan asteroids? Lucy's maiden encounter with the Jupiter Trojan asteroids is in August 2027, starting with Eurybates and its moon Queta. Disclaimer Statement: This content is authored by a 3rd party. The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). ET does not guarantee, vouch for or endorse any of its contents nor is responsible for them in any manner whatsoever. Please take all steps necessary to ascertain that any information and content provided is correct, updated, and verified. ET hereby disclaims any and all warranties, express or implied, relating to the report and any content therein. The Lucy spacecraft of NASA successfully flew by asteroid (52246) Donaldjohanson . The main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter housed a tiny asteroid. At 1.51 pm EDT on Sunday, April 20, the nearest approach took place. At about 48,000 km/hour, Lucy flew nearly 960 km past the four kilometres in diameter, the asteroid appears to be carbon-rich. It was likely chipped off a larger parent body around 150 million years ago. It rotates every 251 hours and periodically brightens and dims every 10 days. This suggests that the asteroid has an elongated to the Forbes report, the flyby is part of Lucy's 12-year mission to explore 11 different asteroids, including eight Jupiter Trojans . These primitive celestial bodies are considered to be remnants from the early solar system Reportedly, during the brief but critical encounter, Lucy stopped tracking the asteroid 40 seconds before its closest approach to protect its sensitive instruments from intense sunlight. Despite this, the spacecraft successfully re-established contact with Earth shortly after. NASA, according to the Forbes report, confirmed that Lucy is in good spacecraft is now transmitting the collected data back to Earth. This process is expected to take around a week. The flyby, as per the report, was a crucial test run ahead of more complex encounters with Jupiter Trojan asteroids As per the media reports, this is Lucy's second asteroid encounter since it was launched on October 16, 2021. In November 2023, it imaged its first asteroid target, Dinkinesh and discovered a surprise—a small satellite asteroid orbiting it, later named to the reports, Dr Tim Hal Levison, principal investigator for Lucy, described Donaldjohanson as a 'peculiar' young object. It is providing 'unexpected' knowledge through these early encounters even before Lucy reaches its primary targets, he was further quoted as its six orbits around the Sun, Lucy will perform multiple gravity-assist flybys of Earth. Reportedly, the next major encounter will involve the asteroid Eurybates and its moon Queta on August 12, 2027, followed by further Trojan flybys until 2033, the reports Lucy will pass by the Earth in orbit a number of times, it will never return to Earth. It will be in the Trojans and Earth's orbit for millions of years, it per the reports, Lucy bears a time capsule that includes notes of scientific and cultural icons, such as Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr., Carl Sagan, and the is named after the finding of a fossilised hominid skeleton found in Ethiopia in 1974. The asteroid Donaldjohanson was named in honour of Dr Donald Johanson, the paleoanthropologist who found the Lucy fossil. NASA is hoping the probe will give insight into the development of the solar system, just as the first Lucy provided important information on human origins.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Here's what a Beatles song and a fossil have to do with a NASA mission to study asteroids
Instead of picturing yourself in a boat on a river with tangerine trees and marmalade skies, picture a spacecraft approaching a series of asteroids trapped by Jupiter's gravity. On Sunday, April 20, NASA's Lucy spacecraft — with ties to The Beatles' famous song with Lucy in the name — will make a close approach to study and photograph the asteroid Donaldjohanson, according to the space agency. This will be NASA's dress rehearsal before it approaches the Jupiter Trojan asteroids. These leftovers of the early solar system orbit in 'swarms' that lead and follow Jupiter's orbit, NASA stated. But they are not close in proximity to the largest planet in Earth's cosmic neighborhood. Lucy launched to the stars on Oct. 16, 2021, and is on a trajectory to study eight of the never-before-studied Jupiter Trojan asteroids, NASA said. The first few asteroids, including Donaldjohanson, make up part of the main asteroid belt that intersects the solar system between Mars and Jupiter. After two months of photographing Donaldjohanson, Lucy will continue until it reaches the first Jupiter Trojan asteroid Eurybates and its satellite Queta in 2027. Lucy's 12-year mission should conclude with the study of the asteroid Patroclus and its satellite Menoetius on March 3, 2033. The names of both Donaldjohanson and the spacecraft share a common thread with scientific exploration on Earth. The asteroid was named after anthropologist Donald Johanson, who in 1974 discovered what was then the oldest and most complete pre-human skeleton ever found, NASA stated. When the skeleton was found in Ethiopia, 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' by The Beatles played on the radio. Johanson and others named their find Lucy. 'And just as the Lucy fossil provided unique insights into human evolution, the Lucy mission promises to expand our knowledge of planetary origins,' the agency added. 4 planets align in early-morning sky: How and where to spot them Could Mass. see the northern lights in the night sky on Wednesday? Get ready for shooting stars: Lyrid meteor shower to illuminate night sky Remember when Pluto was a planet? Here's 10 photos NASA took of the dwarf planet Meteor shower known for 'fireballs' is coming this week: How to watch
