Three-headed asteroid 44 Nysa spotted with its own moon, Earth safe for now
Astronomers using the Large Binocular Telescope in Arizona and the Very Large Telescope in Chile have found asteroid 44 Nysa is three-lobed and has a moon, S/2026(44)1, orbiting about 106 miles away. The ~47-mile-wide, enstatite rock could have formed from fused lobes or a battered body and may shed light on how Earth formed 4.5 billion years ago. Nysa is roughly 27 million miles from Earth and, while NEAs exist, it won’t hit us anytime soon; scientists also discuss potential planetary-defense options for future threats.