Dimorphos

Dimorphos
A moon smacked by a space probe.
RS Code	Dimorphos
SE Version	All
Discovery Information
Discoverer	Petr Pravec
Discovery Date	20 November 2003
Discovery Method	Orbital light variations
Physical Properties
Type	Moon
Class	Cool Asteroid (Apollo)
Diameter	146.55 Meters
Mass	2.51855·10⁻⁶ Tons
Solar Day	11 Hours 54 Minutes
Orbital Period	11 Hours 53 Minutes
Surface Conditions
Temperature	-101 C
Gravity	3.188·10⁻⁶ G
Additional Information
Moons	It is a moon of Didymos.

Physical Characteristics:

Dimorphos, also known as (163373) 2002 PZ39, is a small asteroid moon that orbits the larger asteroid Didymos. It is irregularly shaped, measuring about 160 meters in diameter, making it Alot smaller than Didymos.

Orbit and Location:

Dimorphos orbits Didymos at a close distance. It is part of the asteroid belt, situated between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. It takes around 11 To 12 hours to orbit Didymos, this has changed slightly by 30 minutes thanks to DART.

Composition:

The composition of Dimorphos is primarily rocky and metallic, typical of asteroids. Its surface is likely covered in regolith, a layer of loose, fragmented material.

Discoveries:

Dimorphos was discovered on August 10, 2002, during the Palomar NEAT survey, a Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking program.

DART Collision:

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission marked a milestone in planetary defense efforts. Launched by NASA, DART aimed to test the feasibility of deflecting potentially hazardous asteroids by targeting a binary asteroid system. The main target was the smaller object of the two, Dimorphos, orbiting the larger asteroid Didymos. On September 26, 2022, DART successfully collided with Dimorphos, making history as the first intentional kinetic impact on an asteroid. This collision proved that we can deflect asteroids from httting Earth, underscoring the importance of planetary defense initiatives in understanding and mitigating asteroid threats to our planet. The DART mission paved the way for further research and development in this critical field of space science and exploration.

Exploration:

As of now, Dimorphos has not been explored by spacecraft (that has not been destroyed by a collision). However, it gained significant attention due to its close association with the Didymos binary asteroid system, which was the target of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Hera mission. Hera's mission is to study and characterize the Didymos system, including Dimorphos, And the aftermath of the DART Impact.

Gallery:

A Real Image Of Dimorphos Taken By The DART Spacecraft.

An Image Of Dimorphos After Getting Hit By DART.