NASA snaps detailed photos of ‘strikingly complicated’ asteroid

NASA’s Lucy spacecraft had an asteroid and a second rendezvous over the weekend. On April 20th, probe Lucy’s long-range reconnaissance imager (L’Lorri) traveled within about 600 miles of the elongated asteroid, snapping images at approximately 2-second intervals. The results showcase the “surprisingly complex geology” of asteroids. According to Hal LevisonChief researcher at Lucy’s Southwest Institute.

“A detailed study of complex structures reveals important information about the building blocks and collision processes that formed planets in the solar system.” Added to NASA statement April 21st.

The asteroid Donald Johansson is seen on Lucy’s long-range reconnaissance imager (l’lorri) on NASA’s Lucy spacecraft during a flyby. This timelapse shows images captured approximately every 2 seconds from 1:50pm (17:50 UTC) on April 20, 2025. The asteroid rotates very slowly. The obvious rotation here is due to the movement of the spacecraft, as Donald Johansson flies over a distance of 1,000-660 miles (1,600-1,100 km). The spacecraft’s closest approach distance was 600 miles (960 km), but the images shown were taken about 40 seconds ago, and were the closest to 660 miles (1100 km). credit: NASA / GODDARD / SWRI / JOHNS HOPKINS APL

Donald Johansson’s first good look appears to confirm the astronomer Previous observationespecially the 10-day brightness variation period. The photo depicts an elongated asteroid that is likely to form after the collision of two small bodies. That said, researchers focused on the unique neck shape that connects Donald Johansson’s two robes.

The asteroid appears to be larger than the initial estimate, measuring approximately five miles long and two miles wide. Donald Johansson is actually wider than Lucy’s field of vision, and it takes about a week for the rest of the data to go downlink to Earth. This additional information is analyzed from information collected by the L’Ralph Color Imager and infrared spectrometers, as well as from the L’TES thermal infrared spectrometer.

Lucy’s latest asteroid encounter took place about 16 months after passing within 230 miles of Dinkinesh (aka “Dinkie”) and its “baby asteroid” satellite, Serum. Donald Johansson is the second out of 10 asteroids to be studied in Lucy’s 12-year mission.

“When Lucy reaches the Trojan asteroid, the chances of opening a truly new window into the history of our solar system are immeasurable.” Tom Staller saidNASA Program Scientist at Lucy Mission.
Lucy will spend most of the rest of 2025 running through the main asteroid belt of the solar system as she closes with her main target, Jupiter Trojan asteroid eurybates. The spacecraft’s final flyby is in orbit, which will take place in August 2027.