The mystery of oddly shaped asteroids like Dimorphos and Selam might finally have an explanation.
These celestial bodies, with their peculiar watermelon-like forms, have puzzled scientists for some time. However, recent research suggests a possible formation process:
Rapidly spinning parent asteroid:** It's believed that these asteroids originate from larger, loosely packed "parent" asteroids that spin very quickly.
Shedding mass: Due to the high rotational speed, the parent asteroid sheds material, which eventually clumps together to form a smaller companion or "moonlet."
Unusual shapes: Unlike the typical football-shaped moonlets, these shed materials form into more bizarre shapes, like the oblate spheroid of Dimorphos or the double-sphere structure of Selam.
Key Points:
Dimorphos: Before the DART impact, it had an oblate spheroid shape, resembling a squashed watermelon.
Selam: This moonlet of the asteroid Dinkinesh is even more peculiar, consisting of two connected rocky spheres.
New research: Suggests these unusual shapes are a result of the rapid spin of the parent asteroid and the subsequent formation of the moonlet from shed material.
This groundbreaking research is shedding new light on the formation and evolution of asteroids in our solar system.