Surprising structure, two-part shape and 150 million-year-old secrets

NASA's Lucy interplanetary probe has reached another important milestone - it approached the asteroid Donald Johanson at a distance of 960 kilometers and sent its images to Earth. This was officially announced by the NASA press service.

Two-part celestial body: as if connected by a bow
The asteroid's shape is unusual - it consists of two separate parts, which seem to be connected by a thin "neck".

According to NASA's Lucy mission manager Hal Levison: "This structure reveals new information about how the planets in the solar system formed."

Results from the L’LORRI camera
Images taken by the L’LORRI camera on board the probe revealed that the asteroid is: 8 km long, 3.5 km wide at its widest point.

Surprisingly, although the two parts have different sizes, their cross-sections are similar. The surface is covered with gray regolith and craters.

150 million years of history
According to scientists, Donald Johanson was formed about 150 million years ago. However:

“It does not look like a typical object that was formed as a result of the collision of two bodies. Its geological structure is also much more complex than expected,” NASA says in a statement.

This allows scientists to develop new theories about the formation of celestial bodies, their interactions and historical processes.

What do you think - are such missions bringing humanity closer to the mystery of planetary history? How NASA missions have impacted science Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!