NASA'S LUCY SPACECRAFT FINDS ASTEROID DONALDJOHANSON WOBBLING IN SPACE

Scientists at the Southwest Research Institute identified that the asteroid Donaldjohanson rotates on two axes whilst travelling through space, giving it a peanut-shaped appearance. The discovery was made using NASA's Lucy spacecraft during a flyby on 20 April 2025. The asteroid measures approximately half a mile in diameter and contains iron-rich clay minerals, according to the researchers' findings. The flyby functioned as a test of Lucy's instruments and procedures ahead of planned encounters with Trojan asteroids near Jupiter.

Analysis of Donaldjohanson's composition suggests it formed from fragments of a larger asteroid rich in carbon and water that fractured 155 million years ago. The presence of iron-rich clay indicates the asteroid experienced significant processing after the initial collision broke apart its parent body. This evidence points to substantial geological activity in the asteroid's relatively brief history since its formation. The wobbling motion observed during the Lucy spacecraft's approach provided direct data on the asteroid's rotation and structure.

Study of the Trojan asteroids is expected to yield information about the early stages of solar system formation, according to the research team. Current scientific understanding of how the solar system developed may require revision based on findings from these encounters, the researchers indicated. The successful flyby of Donaldjohanson demonstrated that Lucy's scientific instruments and operational procedures function as designed. The mission will proceed to its planned observations of the Trojan asteroids orbiting Jupiter.