Anonymous24 days ago
A groundbreaking study published in Science Advances in March 2026 reveals that NASA's DART spacecraft impact in September 2022 not only shortened asteroid Dimorphos's orbit around its companion Didymos by 33 minutes, but also permanently altered the entire binary system's orbit around the Sun — the first time humanity has measurably changed a celestial body's heliocentric path. The finding, based on 22 stellar occultation observations by volunteer astronomers worldwide, strengthens the case for kinetic impact as a viable planetary defense strategy against future asteroid threats.