Rocks Detaching from Didymos' Equator Due to Rapid Spin

Asteroid Didymos is spinning so quickly that rocks and dust are lifting off its surface and going into orbit, with some particles even escaping the system. This phenomenon is due to the YORP effect, in which the sun heats different parts of an asteroid to different temperatures, producing thrust that builds over time. The DART mission has gathered new information about the dynamics of Didymos, which is an asteroid "on the edge of stability," completing one full rotation every 2 hours and 16 minutes. The Hera mission will corroborate these findings when it arrives in 2027.