The moon, which has been named "Phoebe," is only about 200 miles in diameter, making it one of the smallest moons ever discovered. Despite its small size, Phoebe is thought to be a captured asteroid, rather than a moon that formed along with the planet it orbits.
The discovery of Phoebe was made possible by the advanced instruments on board the Perseverance spacecraft, which are capable of detecting even the faintest signs of celestial bodies. The spacecraft has been orbiting the planet since 2020, and has been collecting data on its atmosphere, geology, and other features.
The discovery of Phoebe has significant implications for our understanding of the formation and evolution of the solar system. It suggests that the process of planetary formation may be more complex and nuanced than previously thought, and raises questions about the role...
NASA spacecraft discovers tiny moon around asteroid during close flyby - The Hindu
This photo provided by NASA shows a photo taken by the Lucy spacecraft during Wednesday, November 1, 2023 flyby of asteroid Dinkinesh, 300 million miles from Earth. It turns out Dinkinesh, which is only a half-mile across, has a dinky sidekick ... just one-tenth of a mile across.
In data and images beamed back to Earth, the spacecraft confirmed that Dinkinesh is barely a half-mile (790 metres) across. Its closely circling moon is a mere one-tenth-of-a-mile (220 metres) in size.
Newfound moon around asteroid Dinkinesh is actually two touching rocks | New Scientist
The asteroid Dinkinesh's newfound moon is actually a contact binary – two objects lightly touching at their ends. This is the first time such a binary has been found orbiting another asteroid.
Dinkinesh was the first rock visited by NASA's Lucy spacecraft , which flew past on 1 November. When the spacecraft went by, it found a smaller rock orbiting Dinkinesh, which the Lucy team has provisionally named Selam.
Citizen scientists find a rarity: an asteroid trying to be a comet
Some asteroids show comet-like features (artist's impression), such as jets of dust or gas. Credit: Mark Garlick/SPL
How to make asteroid landings safer
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Continue... NASA spacecraft discovers tiny moon around asteroid during close flyby - The Hindu
NASA's spacecraft, the Cassini, has made a groundbreaking discovery in the outer reaches of our solar system. The spacecraft has discovered a tiny moon orbiting Saturn, a find that could shed new light on the formation and evolution of our solar system.The moon, which has been named "Phoebe," is only about 200 kilometers in diameter, making it much smaller than Saturn's largest moon, Titan. Despite its small size, Phoebe is thought to be a captured asteroid, rather than a moon that formed along with Saturn. This suggests that Phoebe may have formed elsewhere in the solar system and was later captured by Saturn's gravity.
The discovery of Phoebe was made possible by Cassini's advanced imaging instruments, which were able to detect the tiny moon's gravitational pull on Saturn. By analyzing the way that Phoebe's gravity affected Saturn's rings, scientists were able to determine the moon's orbit and size.
The discovery of Phoebe has significant implications for our understanding of the formation and evolution of our solar system. It suggests that the process of moon...
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