On this day in space! Aug. 28, 1993: Galileo spacecraft flies by asteroid Ida on the way to Jupiter only to find a tiny moon!
On August 28, 1993, NASA's Galileo spacecraft discovered Dactyl, a tiny moon orbiting the asteroid Ida, during its flyby on the way to Jupiter. This discovery provided the first confirmed evidence that asteroids could possess their own natural satellites.
Why it matters
This historical event fundamentally changed astronomical understanding of asteroid composition and orbital mechanics.
When Galileo buzzed the asteroid Ida, it made a surprising discovery: the tiny moon Dactyl!
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Click for next article Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter On Aug. 28, 1993, NASA's Galileo spacecraft flew by the asteroid Ida while on its way to Jupiter.
Galileo was the first spacecraft to fly by an asteroid in the asteroid belt . Ida was actually the second one it visited after another flyby of the asteroid Gaspra in 1991.
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