NASA's Lucy Finds Asteroid Dinkinesh Has Complex Dual Moon

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Source: Phys.org
NASA's Lucy Finds Asteroid Dinkinesh Has Complex Dual Moon
Photo: Phys.org
TL;DR

NASA's Lucy spacecraft discovered that the asteroid Dinkinesh, also known as "Dinky," has a satellite named Selam, which is actually a contact binary composed of two moons stuck together. This finding challenges existing theories about asteroid formation and provides new insights into the internal structure and dynamics of these celestial bodies. The discovery was detailed in a paper published in Nature, highlighting the complexity of small celestial bodies and their role in understanding planetary formation.

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