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Ida and Dactyl
 
 

 

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Ida and Dactyl

Date: 28 Aug 1993
This enhanced color picture shows asteroid Ida and its moon, Dactyl. NASA's Galileo spacecraft made a close approach to Ida while en route to Jupiter and provided this first observation of an asteroid with a satellite - its own moon. Astronomers have since discovered other asteroids with companions.

Original caption is available here.

Credit: NASA/JPL


Credit: NASA/JPL
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