A new discovery by the European Space Agency’s Gaia spacecraft has revealed 352 asteroids in the solar system that are likely accompanied by their own orbiting moons. These systems, known as “binary asteroids,” provide researchers with a unique opportunity to understand more about the composition and evolution of asteroids in our solar system.
The Gaia spacecraft, equipped with ultraprecise optical telescopes, has been able to identify these binary asteroid candidates by analyzing the positions and movements of celestial bodies. This is the first time such a large number of binary asteroid systems have been identified using only data from a spacecraft.
Binary asteroids are difficult to detect from Earth due to their distance and small size. Most of the binary asteroids known to date have been discovered through ground-based observations when they come close enough to Earth. However, with the capabilities of the Gaia spacecraft, researchers have been able to locate and characterize these systems more accurately than ever before.
The discovery of binary asteroids opens up new possibilities for studying the mass, volume, density, and composition of asteroids. By measuring the period at which a moon orbits an asteroid, researchers can directly calculate the mass of the system. This information provides valuable insights into how asteroids evolve over time and can help scientists piece together the puzzle of our solar system’s formation.
In addition to the Gaia mission, both the ESA and NASA have other missions aimed at studying binary asteroids. The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, for example, involved crashing a spacecraft into an asteroid’s moon to investigate ways to defend against potentially hazardous asteroids. The upcoming ESA Hera mission, scheduled for launch in October, will further explore the aftermath of the DART mission’s collision.
Studying binary asteroids not only helps us understand the formation and evolution of asteroids but also provides clues about the broader processes that shape our solar system. Asteroids are considered the building blocks of planets and carry the history of solar system formation. By studying binary asteroids, researchers can gain insights into collision dynamics, gravitational interactions, material exchange, and other crucial aspects of planetary evolution.
The discovery of 352 asteroids with moonlets by the Gaia spacecraft marks a significant step forward in our understanding of the solar system’s composition and evolution. As researchers continue to unravel the mysteries of binary asteroids, we can expect to gain valuable insights into the complex processes that have shaped our cosmic neighborhood.
