Asteroid Impact 20 Times Larger Than Dinosaur Extinction Rock Shifted Ganymede's Axis 4 Billion Years Ago

Sep 3, 2024, 09:05 AM

A massive asteroid impact on Jupiter's moon Ganymede, which occurred approximately 4 billion years ago, has been found to have significantly altered the moon's orientation. The asteroid, estimated to be 20 times larger than the one that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs on Earth, shifted Ganymede's axis entirely. This finding, reported in a recent study published in SciReports, highlights one of the most significant impacts in the solar system's history. The gigantic collision has had lasting effects on Ganymede, the largest moon in the solar system, and provides new insights into the dynamic history of celestial bodies.