NASA's DART Impact Significantly Deforms Asteroid Moon Dimorphos

When NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft collided with the asteroid moon Dimorphos in 2022, the resulting impact dramatically reshaped the moon, creating a large crater and significantly altering its developmental trajectory. Research indicates that Dimorphos may start to "tumble" as it strives to regain gravitational equilibrium with its parent asteroid, Didymos.

Derek Richardson, an astronomy professor at the University of Maryland and a DART investigation lead, noted that while many of the team's pre-impact predictions were accurate, some unexpected findings have emerged. These results have provided enhanced insights into the formation and evolution of asteroids and other small celestial bodies.

The findings, published in the Planetary Science Journal on August 23, 2024, highlight the extensive post-impact deformations. Notably, Dimorphos transitioned from an oblate (hamburger-shaped) to a more prolate (football-shaped) form after the collision. This transformation challenges previous expectations about the moon's shape, which was believed to gradually elongate due to material shedding from Didymos.

The gravitational connection between the moon and the main asteroid played a critical role in these changes. The impact debris further disrupted the equilibrium, shortening Dimorphos' orbit around Didymos. While Didymos retained its shape, indicating its internal firmness, Dimorphos' structural changes will likely influence how it interacts with its parent asteroid moving forward.

The research team believes these findings have profound implications for future missions, such as the European Space Agency's upcoming mission to the Didymos system in October 2024. The collision has destabilized Dimorphos, potentially causing it to wobble or rotate unpredictably.

Future studies aim to determine when the debris will clear and if Dimorphos continues to tumble. Understanding how soon Dimorphos returns to a stable state reveals crucial details about its internal structure, which is vital for devising strategies to deflect potentially hazardous asteroids.

Richardson expressed hope that the Hera mission, set to arrive at the system in late 2026, would provide deeper insights into both asteroids' internal properties. The detailed analysis may further advance Earth's defensive capabilities against asteroid threats. These complex gravitational studies, possible only through such missions, are essential for refining Earth’s protection strategies against potential asteroid or comet hazards in the future.

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