Animated Sequences Showing the Ejecta Produced in the DART Impact of Asteroid (65803) Didymos
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Abstract
This data collection contains animated sequences showing different aspects of the ejecta that were observed after the Double Asteroid Impact Test (DART) spacecraft crashed into Dimorphos, the moon of asteroid (65803) Didymos on September 26, 2022. The images comprising the sequences were obtained with the LICIACube Unit Key Explorer (LUKE) instrument on board the LICIACube spacecraft that flew by the Didymos system about 3 minutes after the impact event. Although the sequences are comprised of the same observations they are presented in different ways to emphasize various aspects of the ejecta field. These animations are intended as a supplement to the individual LUKE images, to provide insight and to help in the interpretation of the data in support of studies that address spatial and temporal changes in the DART ejecta field. Note that in some of the sequences, black sections may encroach in from the sides. These are gaps in the data where the asteroids moved to the edge of the camera's detector.
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The data consist of 11 animated sequences, each with a leading panel that provides a summary of what is portrayed in that sequence. Additional information is given in the accompanying text for each file. Identical sequences are provided in both MOV and MP4 formats. Displaying with Quicktime or a similar app allows the user to play the movie at different speeds, and also to step through the sequence a frame at a time, which is helpful for following the details as the ejecta evolves. Time tags (seconds since the time of impact) are incorporated to help identify the images in the sequence.
Zip files containing all 11 animated sequences are included for both MOV and MP4 versions.