NASA's Lucy Discovers Complex History of Asteroid Dinkinesh and Its Binary Moon Selam

New findings reveal how Dinkinesh's rapid rotation and structural failure led to the formation of its unique contact-binary moon.

Dinkinesh's rotation accelerated due to the YORP effect, causing structural changes and debris ejection.
A large piece of Dinkinesh broke off, forming a trough and a ridge on the asteroid's surface.
The debris from Dinkinesh coalesced to form Selam, a contact-binary moon with two similarly sized lobes.
Selam is the first observed contact-binary moon orbiting an asteroid, providing new insights into asteroid formation.
Lucy will continue its mission, next visiting the asteroid Donaldjohanson in 2025.