Unexpected shape of the asteroid
A Japanese spacecraft obtained photographs during a close flyby of a near-Earth asteroid that depict the object with a snowman-like appearance. Scientists released the analysis on Monday.
Mission overview
The probe, operated by Japan's space agency, performed a tight approach to acquire high‑resolution imagery. The resulting frames show two distinct lobes stacked vertically, evoking the classic snowman silhouette.
Scientific relevance
Such close‑up observations are uncommon because few missions pass this close to small bodies. The asteroid’s shape provides clues about its formation and internal structure, information that could be valuable for future planetary‑defence concepts.
Next steps
Researchers intend to further examine the image set and compare it with other datasets to refine estimates of the asteroid’s composition and surface morphology.
- Japanese probe delivers high‑resolution asteroid images
- Asteroid exhibits a snowman‑like form
- Data may inform on structural properties and origin