
NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft Snaps First Look at Upcoming Asteroid Target
The NASA Lucy spacecraft has captured its first-ever image of the upcoming asteroid target, providing a breathtaking glimpse into the celestial body’s surface. The agency released the photograph on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone in the mission to explore and understand this mysterious world.
As part of its extended mission to explore the Jupiter Trojan asteroids, Lucy is poised to fly by this small yet enigmatic object between March 2026 and October 2026. This unprecedented close-up encounter will provide scientists with unparalleled insights into the asteroid’s composition, shape, and potential hazards it poses to our planet.
The captured image showcases a stark contrast of light and dark terrain, which is likely indicative of significant variations in surface reflectivity. NASA experts are analyzing the data and imagery, which will take several weeks or months before any definitive conclusions can be drawn about this asteroid’s properties.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/nasas-lucy-spacecraft-snaps-first-look-at-upcoming-asteroid-target-2000568592