NASA's Lucy spacecraft has reached the region of Jupiter's Trojan asteroids. These objects travel around the Sun along Jupiter's orbit. Lucy left Earth in 2021 and has travelled for five years. Entering the region is an important step in its journey. However, the spacecraft has not yet made a close visit to a Trojan asteroid.
The first close meeting is planned for August 2027. The asteroids are far apart, so Lucy still has a long way to go. Scientists will use its instruments to study these old objects. They hope to learn more about the early solar system. For now, the team is preparing for the next part of the mission.