All articles tagged with #debris analysis
Astronomers observed a Pluto-like icy body colliding with a white dwarf star, revealing that outer solar system objects can survive long after their star's death, and providing insights into planetary system evolution and water delivery in space.
Close-up images from a CubeSat accompanying NASA's DART asteroid impactor reveal a complex field of debris, including filaments and clumps of ejecta moving at different speeds. The debris analysis provides insights into the composition and history of the asteroid Dimorphos, indicating a weak, fragmented structure similar to rubble pile asteroids. The impact's effectiveness and the internal properties of Dimorphos are being studied using the debris data, with implications for planetary defense technology and our understanding of asteroid formation. Future observations by the ESA's Hera probe in 2024 are expected to provide further detailed data on the collision's aftermath.