ESA Releases First Hera Image of Didymos From 37 Miles After DART's 2022 Impact
Updated
Updated · Popular Science · Nov 6
ESA Releases First Hera Image of Didymos From 37 Miles After DART's 2022 Impact
3 articles · Updated · Popular Science · Nov 6
Summary
ESA on Nov. 5 published Hera’s first image of the Didymos system, taken from about 37 miles away as the probe surveys the aftermath of NASA’s 2022 DART collision.
The view shows Didymos rather than Dimorphos’ impact site, which is hidden in shadow, but still lets scientists study how strike debris may have altered the larger asteroid and nearby objects.
Didymos appears to share the equatorial ridge seen before DART hit, yet its surface looks markedly different from Dimorphos, raising new questions because the two bodies are separated by less than half a mile.
Hera’s mission is to map changes across both asteroids and refine planetary-defense lessons from DART; ESA plans more detailed images on Nov. 25.