Science & Tech · Space · 2 hrs ago
Hera captures Didymos and Dimorphos as separate asteroids
Europe’s Hera spacecraft has spotted Dimorphos beside Didymos for the first time in an image taken on October 18.
The asteroids are about 197 million kilometers from Earth, and Hera captured them from roughly 1,280 kilometers away.
NASA’s DART spacecraft hit Dimorphos in 2022, changing its orbit around Didymos in a test of whether an impact could deflect an asteroid.
Scientists want to learn more about the collision’s effects and why the orbit changed more than expected.
Hera is closing in to examine the impact site and study the asteroids with its instruments.
The findings could help scientists assess asteroid deflection as a way to protect Earth.
Hera is expected to reveal detailed images on November 25 as it gets closer.
Hera has captured its first image showing Didymos and its smaller companion Dimorphos as separate objects.
The European Space Agency spacecraft took the image on October 18 from about 1,280 kilometers away.
Dimorphos appears as roughly one pixel but is clearly separated from Didymos.
Hera is approaching the asteroid pair to investigate the effects of NASA’s 2022 DART impact.
The mission’s first detailed images of Dimorphos are expected on November 25.
- Who
- The European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft.
- What
- It captured its first image showing the asteroids Didymos and Dimorphos as separate objects.
- When
- October 18; the year is not specified for the image in the articles.
- Where
- At the Didymos asteroid system, about 1,280 kilometers from the pair.
- Why
- Hera is approaching to investigate the effects of NASA’s DART collision and study the asteroids.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
NASA’s DART spacecraft deliberately collided with Dimorphos.
Hera performed braking maneuvers to slow its approach to the asteroid system.
Hera captured an image showing Didymos and Dimorphos as separate objects.
Hera is expected to unveil its first detailed images of Dimorphos.
- Image distance
- About 1,280 kilometers from the asteroid pair
- Earth distance
- About 197 million kilometers
- Dimorphos diameter
- About 151 meters
- Didymos diameter
- Approximately 780 meters
- DART impact speed
- Approximately 6.1 kilometers per second
- Expected detailed images
- November 25
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What people are saying
With this image, the smaller Dimorphos asteroid becomes visible for the first time
Our views will grow much sharper as Hera comes closer
For the very first time we are seeing through Hera's own eyes the very double asteroid system that the mission was designed and built for