Why does the asteroid Dimorphos leave a trail after impact?

  • Topic: Stargazing 
  • Thread starter tech99
  • Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Asteroid Impact
1 reply · 2K views · last reply
Science Advisor
Gold Member
Messages
3,090
Reaction score
1,443
TL;DR
Dimorphos seems to be leaving a trail of debris after the spacecraft impact. But why should the debris be left behind?
Pictures have appeared showing the asteroid Dimorphos following its impact with a spacecraft and showing a trail being left behind. On further consideration, this is taking place in a vacuum, so there is no air resistance. Why is the debris forming a trail behind the asteroid?
 
tech99 said:
Why is the debris forming a trail behind the asteroid?
Just a guess, solar wind and light pressure makes tails, just like the tails of a comet.

Annotated greyscale photo of a comet with a bright head and two tails spreading upward: a gas tail on the left and a dust tail on the right. Labels read "Gas tail", "Dust tail", "Dust trail" and "Sun", with arrows showing the sun's direction.