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Credit & Copyright: John Kraus
Explanation:
Why would this mission go out as far as Jupiter -- but then not visit Jupiter?
Lucy's plan is to follow different leads about the origin of our
Solar System than can be found at Jupiter -- where
Juno now orbits.
Jupiter is such a massive planet that its gravity captures
numerous
asteroids that orbit the
Sun ahead of it -- and behind.
These trojan
asteroids
formed all over our Solar System and some may have been
trapped
there for billions of years.
Flying by these
trojan asteroids enables studying them as
fossils that likely hold
unique clues about our
early Solar System.
Lucy, named after a
famous fossil skeleton which was named after a
famous song,
is scheduled to visit eight asteroids from 2025 to 2033.
Pictured, Lucy's
launch was captured with reflection last week aboard a powerful
Atlas V rocket from
Cape Canaveral,
Florida,
USA.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: asteroid - launch
Publications with words: asteroid - launch
See also: