Asteroid Dinky’s ‘Selam’ is actually 2 moons fused together: NASA

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Asteroids News

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NASA's Lucy spacecraft stuns scientists with the discovery of two intertwined moons orbiting asteroid Dinkinesh.

NASA ’s Lucy spacecraft, which embarked on a mission to unravel the mysteries of our solar system’s asteroid belt, has made a groundbreaking discovery. It has revealed the presence of two intertwined celestial companions alongside the asteroid Dinkinesh.discovered in 1974, Dinky’s companion satellite asteroid, ‘Selam,’ was initially thought to be a solitary moon when Lucy flew past Dinkinesh in November 2023.wasn’t a solo traveler but a binary system with two moons merged into one.

Sunshine, also a co-author of the paper, remarked, “There’s a lot more complexity in these small bodies than we originally thought.” were formed and changed over time but also gives a peek into the mysterious workings of space.Images captured by Lucy’s advanced imaging systems unveiled a tapestry of celestial drama etched on the surface of Dinkinesh. A noticeable groove on the asteroid’s surface suggested a significant break, revealing insights into its turbulent history.

As these space rocks moved around in space, some came together to create Selam, while others fell back onto Dinky, shaping the rugged ridges seen by Lucy.

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