Nasa’s DART mission could trigger man-made meteor shower: What you need to know – Times of India
In the aftermath of Nasa's Double Asteroids Redirect Test (DART) mission, space debris totaling over two million pounds has been created, raising the possibility of a long-lasting meteor shower. The unprecedented event follows the DART spacecraft’s deliberate collision with the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos in September 2022, aimed at testing Earth’s planetary defense system.DART mission and impactNasa's DART mission succeeded not only in deflecting Dimorphos but also in altering its shape significantly. "The entire shape of the asteroid has changed, from a relatively symmetrical object to a 'triaxial ellipsoid' — something more like an oblong watermelon," said Shantanu Naidu from Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.Potential meteor showerA recent study by Cornell University suggests that fragme...