Get Ready for an Astounding Cosmic Close-Up!

NASA's Lucy spacecraft is just days away from its spectacular second asteroid flyby, zooming in on the intriguing main belt asteroid, Donaldjohanson, a mere 50 million miles (80 million km) from Earth!

A Rehearsal for the Cosmic Adventure Ahead!

This event is not just any routine flyby; it's a critical "dress rehearsal" for Lucy's ambitious ten-year mission to explore the enigmatic Trojan asteroids that orbit alongside Jupiter. After its first successful encounter with asteroid Dinkinesh in November 2023, Lucy's team is ready to put their systems to the test once again.

Mark the Date! April 20th at 1:51 PM EDT!

The closest approach to Donaldjohanson is scheduled for April 20 at 1:51 PM EDT, where it will swoop down to just 596 miles (960 km) from the asteroid. As Lucy approaches, it will go through a sequence of intricate observations, showcasing its remarkable instruments: the high-resolution imager L'LORRI, the color imager and infrared spectrometer L'Ralph, and the far infrared spectrometer L'TES.

A Unique Challenge to Overcome!

Unlike the previous encounter, Lucy will pause tracking Donaldjohanson 40 seconds before its closest approach to protect its delicate instruments from the intense sunlight. Encounter phase lead Michael Vincent likens the experience to watching Lucy approach while shielding your eyes from the blinding glare of the sun!

Breathtaking Results Await!

Once it has safely navigated past the asteroid, Lucy will reorient its solar arrays and re-establish communication with Earth about an hour later. With a light-speed delay of 25 minutes for messages sent and received, the anticipation builds as the team awaits the exciting scientific data from this unprecedented mission.

Unearthing Ancient Secrets!

Donaldjohanson isn't just another rock; it's a fragment from a colossal collision that occurred 150 million years ago, making it one of the youngest known asteroids in the main belt! Each asteroid tells a unique story that's crucial for piecing together the mysterious history of our solar system.

As Tom Statler, the Lucy mission program scientist at NASA, puts it, "Every asteroid has a different story to tell, and these stories weave together to paint the history of our solar system. I'm fully expecting to be surprised - again!" Buckle up, space enthusiasts! This mission promises to be an exhilarating adventure into the cosmos!