Although the four images are all at the very same scale, the orientation of each is various, showing the various orientations of the LLORRI video camera as it relied on record each target.
The targets were also observed for different period based upon their rotation durations:.
Lucy will explore the Jupiter Trojan asteroids– thought to be “fossils of world formation.” Credit: NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center
NASAs Lucy objective recorded its very first views of 4 Jupiter Trojan asteroids, with observations helping to pick exposure times for close-up observations. Lucy is on a 12-year voyage to observe nine Jupiter Trojans and two main belt asteroids, the first mission to ever visit them.
A few of the asteroids NASAs Lucy objective will visit are still more than 330 million miles (530 million kilometers) far from the spacecraft, which is more than three times the average range in between Earth and the Sun. However despite the country mile and the comparatively small sizes of these asteroids, Lucy caught views of four of them recently.
From March 25 to 27, 2023, Lucy utilized its highest resolution imager, LLORRI, to record its first views of four Jupiter Trojan asteroids. From delegated right: Eurybates, Polymele, Leucus, and Orus. Credit: NASA/Goddard/SwRI/ JHU-APL.
From March 25 to 27, 2023, Lucy used its greatest resolution imager, LLORRI, to record its first views of four Jupiter Trojan asteroids. From delegated right in the above image: Eurybates, Polymele, Leucus, and Orus.
These images are the first in a series of planned observations developed to measure how the Trojan asteroids show light at higher angles than is observable from Earth. The asteroids are still simply single points of light in these images, seen versus a background of distant stars, the information will assist the group select direct exposure times for Lucys close-up observations of its targets.
Lucy will zip these asteroids in 2027 and 2028 as the spacecraft takes a trip through a swarm of little asteroids that lead Jupiter in its orbit around the Sun. Lucy is simply more than a year into a 12-year voyage that entails close observation of 9 of Jupiters Trojans– the very first space objective ever to visit them– and two primary belt asteroids.
Eurybates images were taken control of a span of 6.5 hours.
Polymele, about 2.5 hours.
Leucus, 2 hours.
Orus, 10 hours.