A mysterious asteroid located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter is about to be revealed to humanity, and its discovery could hold the key to uncovering our Solar System’s secrets.
The space rock, officially known as asteroid 6200 Dinkinesh, is one of the most enigmatic objects in the Main Belt. It has only been observed since a passing surveyor spacecraft recorded its light in the sky in the 1990s.
Heading toward the inner Solar System, 6200 Dinkinesh is approaching its closest distance to Earth, which will be a mere 11 million kilometers away in October 2022. It is at this juncture that the asteroid will pass within the reach of the world’s most powerful ground-based telescopes.
Discovered in 1995, Dinkinesh is still shrouded in mystery and unknowns. Astronomers have not yet been able to piece together an adequate understanding of its make-up, which has been difficult due to its location and size.
The asteroid is estimated to measure roughly 160 kilometers across, which is on the large side of medium-sized asteroids in the Main Belt. It is also spinning rapidly – approximately once in every 286 minutes – leading some scientists to speculate that its components could have become mixed up through its rotation with time.
But with the revealing of telescope imagers, the mystery of 6200 Dinkinesh will soon be unravelled. It is proving to be one of the most dynamically interesting objects in the asteroid belt, and holds the potential to reveal much about the earliest days of our Solar System.
As the journey to October 2022 comes closer, fundamental questions about the composition and structure of the asteroid will begin to be answered, and earth-based astronomy teams around the world can enjoy the sight of the shadowy object.
6200 Dinkinesh is a monumental find, and the path to its revelation will provide glimpses into the great unknowns of our Solar System.