Skip to content
Opens in a new window
This Asteroid May Be Three Worlds Fused Together
27 August 2026

This Asteroid May Be Three Worlds Fused Together

Bedtime Astronomy

About
Astronomers may have discovered a rare contact trinary in the asteroid belt: asteroid 44 Nysa appears to be three distinct bodies fused together.

High-resolution observations reveal a striking three-lobed shape, while a tiny moon orbiting Nysa is helping scientists measure its mass and density. The findings could reveal whether Nysa is solid rock or a rubble pile—and how the earliest planetary bodies formed.

Thank you for listening to Bedtime Astronomy — your guide to the cosmos. New episodes on space exploration, NASA missions & the latest astronomy breakthroughs.

This episode includes AI-generated content.