NASA Spacecraft Captures Images of Jupiter's Elusive Asteroids for the First Time

Category : Science and Tech Published on: April 21 2023

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NASA's ‘Lucy spacecraft’ has spotted Jupiter's asteroids for the first time ever.
The NASA probe was able to capture deep-space images of four asteroids known as the Trojans that have largely remained elusive to scientists.
To click these images, Lucy used L'LORRI (Lucy Long Range Reconnaissance Imager), its highest resolution imaging tool.
The four Trojan asteroids were captured between March 25 and 27.
The asteroids that were captured for the first time are called Eurybates, Polymele, Leucus, and Orus - all part of two large groups of rocks that follow Jupiter's orbit around the Sun.
The spacecraft is expected to reach its asteroid targets in 2027 and 2028 after it was launched in October 2021.
First, it will travel to Eurybates (and its binary partner Queta), followed by Polymele and its partner, Leucus and eventually Orus and the binary pair Patroclus and Menoetius.
To achieve this, Lucy will travel over 6.4 billion kilometres during its 12-year mission.