The Digital Press

NASA’s Lucy spacecraft has captured detailed images of the asteroid Donaldjohanson during its close flyby, revealing a strangely shaped, elongated contact binary. The data will help scientists understand the asteroid’s geology and the early formation processes of our solar system.

Why it matters: Lucy’s observations provide valuable clues about the building blocks and collisional history of planets in our solar system.

The big picture: Donaldjohanson is a rehearsal target; Lucy’s main mission is to study Jupiter Trojan asteroids starting in 2027.

Stunning stat: The asteroid measures about 5 miles (8 km) long and 2 miles (3.5 km) wide, larger than initially estimated.

Commenters say: Enthusiasm for the mission’s potential is high, with praise for the spacecraft’s capabilities and curiosity about the asteroid’s unique shape.