#NASA #Lucy Spacecraft Captures its 1st Images of Asteroid #Dinkinesh
Lucy took images while it was 14 million miles (23 million km) away from the asteroid, which is only about a half-mile wide (1 km). Over the next two months, Lucy will continue toward Dinkinesh until its closest approach of 265 miles (425 km) on Nov. 1, 2023
#NASA #LucyMission is about to meet its first asteroid November first
As this encounter is intended as a test of Lucy’s systems, scientific observations will be simpler than for the mission’s main targets.
During the Dinkinesh flyby, the team will test its terminal-tracking system that will allow the spacecraft to autonomously pinpoint the location of the asteroid, keeping it within the instruments’ field-of-view throughout the encounter.
https://science.nasa.gov/missions/lucy/nasas-lucy-spacecraft-preparing-for-its-first-asteroid-flyby/
#nasa #lucymission Lucy’s closest approach will occur at 12:54 p.m. EDT (16:54 UTC) at a distance within 270 miles (430 km) of #Dinkinesh. However, there won’t be much time to observe the asteroid at this distance as Lucy speeds past at 10,000 mph (4.5 km/s).
This image shows the “moonrise” of the satellite as it emerges from behind asteroid #Dinkinesh as seen by the #lucymission. Long-Range Reconnaissance Imager (L’LORRI). From a range of approximately 270 miles (430 km). From this perspective, the satellite is behind the primary asteroid. The image has been sharpened and processed to enhance contrast.
What is babby called? Dinky? Dinkiness?
#LucyMission animation of a few frames during flyby showing off babby Dinky orbiting #Dinkinesh
What is better than one babby asteroid moon?
Twin babby asteroid moons in contact
Newest #lucymission images of #Dinkinesh
#nasa #news
https://science.nasa.gov/missions/lucy/nasas-lucy-surprises-again-observes-1st-ever-contact-binary-orbiting-asteroid/
That is so, so cool.
#NASA #LucyMission completes flyby and re-establishes contact with earth. It will take about a week for all the Juicy #Lucy data to be transmitted.
at its closest pass the Asteroid will be the size of a few hundred pixels in the images.