Hubble Detects Boulder Cluster Around Asteroid Dimorphos After DART Impact
The Hubble Space Telescope has made an intriguing revelation. It has identified a boulder cluster encircling the asteroid Dimorphos. This discovery comes in the aftermath of a purposeful collision orchestrated by NASA’s DART spacecraft in the previous fall.
The DART Impact and Its Aftermath
NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft made history in September 2022. The spacecraft, which weighs approximately 1,200 pounds, embarked on a unique mission. It collided with Dimorphos, an asteroid, at a staggering speed of 13,000 miles per hour. The goal of this collision was ambitious. It aimed to alter the asteroid’s velocity. This marked a first in human history – an attempt to change a celestial object’s movement. The impact was successful. It altered Dimorphos’ orbital period around its larger companion, Didymos, by 33 minutes. Moreover, the collision released over 1,000 tons of material into space.
Hubble’s Discovery
Hubble’s observations revealed 37 boulders, likely dislodged from Dimorphos’ surface due to the impact, drifting away from the asteroid at a speed of about 0.5 miles per hour. These boulders, ranging from 3 feet to 22 feet in diameter, represent about 0.1% of Dimorphos’ mass.
Subheading: The Significance of the Observation
Planetary scientist David Jewitt, a distinguished professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, described the observation as “spectacular.” The boulders’ numbers, sizes, and shapes are consistent with the impact’s aftermath, providing valuable insights into the effects of such collisions.
The Hera Mission
The European Space Agency’s Hera mission, set to launch in 2024, will take a closer look at Dimorphos and Didymos. Hera aims to establish an effective planetary defense strategy by studying the asteroids, measuring Dimorphos’ physical properties, and examining the DART impact crater.
The Origin of the Boulders
Researchers believe the boulders were already on Dimorphos’ surface, based on the final close-up photos taken by the DART spacecraft before impact. The impact’s seismic wave may have lifted the rocks, which were likely ejected simultaneously with the debris trail.
The Future of Asteroid Deflection
Studying the aftermath of the DART experiment can help space agencies determine whether this impactor technology is the right approach to deflecting asteroids that may pose a threat to Earth in the future. It also raises questions about whether such impacts might create more rocky hazards heading toward the planet.
In a nutshell, the Hubble Space Telescope’s identification of a boulder cluster around asteroid Dimorphos following the DART spacecraft’s deliberate collision offers valuable insights. These findings will significantly influence our understanding of celestial object dynamics and the development of future planetary defense strategies.
