The Boulders of Dimorphos
The Boulders of Dimorphos https://asteroidday-uploads.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/08145748/news-august-feature.jpeg 512 455 Asteroid Day https://asteroidday-uploads.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/08145748/news-august-feature.jpeg
Image of the asteroid Dimorphos and its debris trail released by NASA last July shows rocky fragments expelled by the asteroid after the impact of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) probe in September 2022. The objective of this mission was to cause a slight change in the orbit of Dimorphos.
Scientists claim that these rocks were shaken off the asteroid after the probe’s impact. 37 ejected fragments were counted in the images, with sizes varying between 1 and 6.7 metres according to Hubble photometric data.
Image of escaped boulders identified around the asteroid (NASA, ESA, David Jewitt (UCLA); Alyssa Pagan (STScI)
The rocks are moving away from the asteroid at about 1 kilometre per hour and make up about 0.1% of its mass. These rocks are the faintest objects ever imaged in the Solar System thanks to the sensitivity of space telescope instruments.
In 2024, the European Space Agency’s Hera mission will be launched and will arrive at the asteroid in 2026, being a great opportunity to take a closer look at these fragments.
Learn more about missions to Dimorphos and asteroid deflection methods:
First Planetary Defense Mission was a Success
ESA – Space Safety – Hera Mission
LEARN – How could we deflect an asteroid?
