Behold! Astronomers have uncovered a remarkable asteroid that dances alongside Saturn as it journeys around the sun. These celestial companions, known as Trojan asteroids, are a captivating phenomenon observed near the other colossal planets in our solar system.
While most asteroids typically orbit between Mars and Jupiter, the discovery of Trojans dates back to 1906 when Max Wolf identified Achilles, the first Trojan asteroid leading Jupiter by 60 degrees. Since then, astronomers have detected numerous Trojans positioned both ahead and behind Jupiter along its path. The upcoming NASA mission Lucy is set to explore eight of these fascinating objects from 2027 to 2033 (SN: 10/15/21).
Not limited to Saturn, Trojan asteroids also exist for Uranus and Neptune, as well as Earth and Mars (SN: 2/1/22). Following an image captured by a telescope in Hawaii in 2019, amateur astronomer Andrew Walker from Australia proposed that this newfound asteroid could potentially be a Saturnian Trojan if its orbital characteristics align with those of its planetary companion.
2024-10-11 12:00:00
Originally posted on www.sciencenews.org