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NASA snaps detailed photos of ‘strikingly complicated’ asteroid

Andrew Paul

created: April 21, 2025, 7:40 p.m. | updated: May 1, 2025, 7:40 p.m.

NASA’s Lucy spacecraft had its second rendezvous with an asteroid over the weekend, this time with the uniquely named Donaldjohanson space rock. The results showcase the asteroid’s “strikingly complicated geology,” according to Hal Levison, Lucy’s principal investigator at the Southwest Research Institute. The asteroid Donaldjohanson as seen by the Lucy Long-Range Reconnaissance Imager (L’LORRI) on NASA’s Lucy spacecraft during its flyby. The asteroid also appears to be larger than initial estimates—measuring about 5 miles long and 2 miles wide. Lucy’s latest asteroid encounter took place roughly 16 months after passing within 230 miles of Dinkinesh (aka “Dinky”) and its “baby asteroid” satellite, Selam.

3 months, 2 weeks ago: Popular Science