Overview[]
Didymos (more specifically designated as 65803 Didymos) is the larger member of a binary asteroid system, and along with its smaller companion is classified as an Apollo asteroid. It takes around 770 days to complete an orbit around the sun while its eccentricity often brings it close to both Earth and Mars. Due to its occasional close approach to Earth; Didymos has been well studied with its moon Dimorphos being subject to an asteroid redirection test which in September of 2022 proved to be successful.
Its name was a suggestion by its discoverer and is the Greek word for twin.
Characteristics[]
Didymos is speculated to be mainly composed of silicates due to its extensive visual and spectroscopy observation. Radar observations have confirmed that Didymos is an oblate spheroidal shape, which is due to its high rotation period of 2.26 hours. The diameter of Didymos is about 780 Meters.
The orbit of Didymos has an eccentricity of 0.38, and like many other asteroids is situated on an irregular orbital plane in relation to the ecliptic. Its closest possible approach to Earth is around 0.04 AU, and its closest possible approach to Mars is around 0.02 AU.
