Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2021 October 20
      [2]The picture shows the NASA's Lucy mission launching from Cape
      Canaveral, Florida. Please see the explanation for more detailed
                                information.

                      Lucy Launches to Eight Asteroids
                   Image Credit & Copyright: [3]John Kraus

   Explanation: Why would this mission go out as far as Jupiter -- but
   then not visit Jupiter? [4]Lucy's plan is to follow different leads
   about the origin of our [5]Solar System than can be found at Jupiter --
   where [6]Juno now orbits. Jupiter is such a massive planet that its
   gravity captures [7]numerous asteroids that orbit the [8]Sun ahead of
   it -- and behind. These [9]trojan asteroids formed all over our Solar
   System and some may have been [10]trapped there for billions of years.
   Flying by these [11]trojan asteroids enables studying them as fossils
   that likely hold [12]unique clues about our [13]early Solar System.
   [14]Lucy, named after a [15]famous fossil skeleton which was named
   after a [16]famous song, is scheduled to visit eight asteroids from
   2025 to 2033. Pictured, [17]Lucy's launch was captured with reflection
   last week aboard a powerful [18]Atlas V rocket from [19]Cape Canaveral,
   [20]Florida, [21]USA.

                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [33]Robert Nemiroff ([34]MTU) & [35]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([36]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [37]Specific rights apply.
              [38]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [39]ASD at [40]NASA / [41]GSFC
                           & [42]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2110/LucyLaunchB_Kraus_2048.jpg
   3. https://www.johnkrausphotos.com/
   4. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/lucy/in-depth/
   5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_System
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190908.html
   7. https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/lucy-mission-animations-of-jupiters-trojans
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160731.html
   9. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/episode-8-we-asked-a-nasa-scientist-what-are-the-trojan-asteroids
  10. https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/03/27/17/4A97B19400000578-5549749-A_cat_astrophe_-a-55_1522166668555.jpg
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_trojan
  12. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/lucy/main/index
  13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formation_and_evolution_of_the_Solar_System
  14. https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/lucy-mission-faq
  15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_(Australopithecus)
  16. https://youtu.be/naoknj1ebqI
  17. http://lucy.swri.edu/
  18. https://www.ulalaunch.com/rockets/atlas-v
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap181001.html
  20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida
  21. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap211019.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  31. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=211020
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap211021.html
  33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  35. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  36. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  39. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  42. http://www.mtu.edu/