Two artistic renderings depict the WISE spacecraft on the left, set against a backdrop of the infrared sky it surveyed during its main mission. On the right, NASA’s Lucy mission is portrayed during its November 1 rendezvous with asteroid Dinkinesh. Credit goes to NASA/JPL-Caltech and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
Scientists have employed infrared observational data to fine-tune estimates concerning the size and surface reflectivity of the asteroid Dinkinesh, in anticipation of its November 1 rendezvous with NASA’s Lucy mission.
NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is set to have its inaugural asteroid encounter today as it journeys through the far reaches of space, bound for the orbit of Jupiter. Prior to coming within 265 miles (425 kilometers) of Dinkinesh’s surface, scientists utilized 13-year-old infrared data gathered by NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) to facilitate the mission’s flyby. Their recent study offers revised calculations of the asteroid’s dimensions and albedo—a gauge of surface reflectiveness—which could offer scientists a deeper understanding of certain near-Earth objects.
Situated between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, the principal asteroid belt is host to the majority of our solar system’s asteroids, including Dinkinesh. This asteroid orbits the Sun in a trajectory that brings it close to Lucy’s travel path. The Lucy mission is capitalizing on this proximity to Dinkinesh to test systems and processes intended to maintain the asteroid within the view of its scientific instruments as the spacecraft whizzes by at a speed of 10,000 mph (4.5 kilometers per second). Such tests will prepare the team for the mission’s main goal: the study of Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids, a group of primitive celestial bodies that share Jupiter’s orbit.
An artistic representation showcases the WISE spacecraft in its orbit around Earth. During its NEOWISE mission, WISE identifies and characterizes asteroids. Credits are due to NASA/JPL-Caltech.
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Unplanned Observations by WISE
In a study recently published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, researchers from the University of Arizona used data obtained by the WISE spacecraft, which incidentally scanned Dinkinesh in 2010 during its prime mission. Managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California, WISE was launched on December 14, 2009, with the objective of generating a comprehensive infrared map of the universe.
Despite the weak signal captured in the WISE images, the researchers successfully identified 17 infrared observations corresponding to the region where Dinkinesh was located. An algorithm was then employed to align and stack these images, representing 36.5 hours of observation time in March 2010.
Kiana De’Marius McFadden, a University of Arizona graduate student and the lead author of the study, noted that the dim infrared signal from Dinkinesh was originally not detected by WISE due to its insufficient strength to trigger the software designed for single-exposure object detection. Nevertheless, the team managed to unearth the signal by stacking multiple exposures of the same sky area.
Revealing Insights Beyond WISE’s Intended Scope
Though initially discovered in 1999, Dinkinesh’s general size had been known but not precisely measured. The new study refines both its size and albedo. According to the WISE data, the asteroid has a diameter of approximately half a mile (760 meters) and an albedo that aligns with stony (S-type) asteroids.
WISE was not initially designed to detect asteroids, yet its sensitivity to infrared radiation emanating from these celestial bodies allowed for such detections. By the conclusion of its primary mission, WISE had recorded around 190,000 observations of asteroids. In 2013, NASA reactivated WISE under the name NEOWISE with the new purpose of identifying and tracking asteroids and comets that come close to Earth’s orbit.
Amy Mainzer, a co-author of the study from the University of Arizona, stated that Dinkinesh represents the smallest main belt asteroid to be studied in detail and could offer invaluable insights into this class of objects. Its characteristics may help understand the origins of potentially hazardous near-Earth asteroids.
Future Directions in Asteroid Research
Slated for a late 2027 launch, NASA’s Near-Earth Object Surveyor (NEO Surveyor) is expected to succeed NEOWISE. It will scan the sky in infrared wavelengths to detect elusive asteroids and comets. NEO Surveyor might also employ the same technique used for identifying faint signals in WISE data, thus enhancing the capabilities of this next-generation space telescope. Mainzer serves as the principal investigator for NEO Surveyor.
Reference: The study, entitled “Size and Albedo Constraints for (152830) Dinkinesh Using WISE Data,” was authored by Kiana D. McFadden, Amy K. Mainzer, Joseph R. Masiero, James M. Bauer, Roc M. Cutri, Dar Dahlen, Frank J. Masci, Jana Pittichová, Akash Satpathy, and Edward L. Wright and was published on October 23, 2023, in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/acff61
Hal Levison, the principal investigator for Lucy, is stationed at the Boulder, Colorado, branch of the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), which has its headquarters in San Antonio, Texas. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, situated in Greenbelt, Maryland, is responsible for overall mission management, systems engineering, and safety and mission assurance. Lockheed Martin Space, based in Littleton, Colorado, constructed the Lucy spacecraft. Lucy represents the 13th mission in NASA’s Discovery Program, managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, on behalf of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Lucy mission’s encounter with asteroid Dinkinesh
What is the main focus of the NASA’s Lucy mission’s November 1 encounter?
The main focus is the Lucy spacecraft’s first encounter with the asteroid Dinkinesh as it journeys through deep space towards Jupiter’s orbit.
How has NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) contributed to the Lucy mission?
WISE has provided 13-year-old infrared survey data that researchers used to update estimates of asteroid Dinkinesh’s size and albedo (surface reflectivity). This data supports Lucy’s mission objectives during its flyby.
Where is asteroid Dinkinesh located?
Dinkinesh is located in the main asteroid belt, which is situated between Mars and Jupiter.
What is the significance of the Dinkinesh encounter for the Lucy mission?
The Dinkinesh encounter serves as a test for systems and procedures designed to keep the asteroid within the scientific instruments’ fields of view as Lucy flies past at a speed of 10,000 mph. It helps prepare for the mission’s primary objective of investigating Jupiter Trojan asteroids.
What were the findings of the new study published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters?
The study, led by University of Arizona researchers, utilized WISE data to refine estimates of Dinkinesh’s size and albedo. The asteroid has a diameter of about half a mile and an albedo consistent with stony (S-type) asteroids.
Was WISE originally designed to study asteroids?
No, WISE was launched in 2009 to create an all-sky infrared map of the universe. However, it was sensitive to the infrared light radiating from asteroids and has recorded about 190,000 asteroid observations by the end of its prime mission.
What is the future of asteroid observation post-NEOWISE?
NASA’s Near-Earth Object Surveyor (NEO Surveyor), targeting a late 2027 launch, will take over where NEOWISE leaves off. It will scan the sky in infrared wavelengths for hard-to-find asteroids and comets.
Who are the key people and institutions involved in these missions and studies?
Lucy’s principal investigator is Hal Levison, based at the Southwest Research Institute in Colorado. The University of Arizona’s Amy Mainzer is a study co-author and the principal investigator for NEOWISE. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center provides overall mission management.
More about Lucy mission’s encounter with asteroid Dinkinesh
- Lucy Mission Overview
- NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE)
- The Astrophysical Journal Letters
- University of Arizona Research on Asteroids
- NASA’s Near-Earth Object Surveyor (NEO Surveyor)
- NASA’s Discovery Program
- NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
- Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)
- NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama
