NASA's DART spacecraft changed an asteroid's orbit around the sun
11 hours ago
- #space
- #asteroid
- #planetary-defense
- NASA's DART spacecraft successfully altered the orbit of asteroid Dimorphos around its companion Didymos.
- The impact shortened Dimorphos' orbit by 32 minutes, with additional changes due to ejected debris.
- Some debris escaped the asteroid pair's gravitational pull, affecting their joint motion around the sun.
- Astronomers used stellar occultations to measure the asteroids' slowed orbit around the sun by 150 milliseconds.
- The findings could aid in future planetary defense strategies against asteroid threats.
- The European Space Agency's Hera mission will further study the asteroids in 2025.