Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

Double Lobed Asteroid Torifune

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for July 14, 2026 is “Double Lobed Asteroid Torifune,” an image. The picture is copyrighted by its creator (Image Credit & Copyright: JAXA , U. of Tokyo , Chiba Tech , Tokyo U. of Science , AIST , Paris Obs. , IAC). The original explanation runs about 149 words.

A large rocky object floats in dark space. The object is gray and has many small protrusions. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.
Credit: Image Credit & Copyright: JAXA , U. of Tokyo , Chiba Tech , Tokyo U. of Science , AIST , Paris Obs. , IAC Copyrighted Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“Why is this asteroid a double? Earlier this month the Japan ese robotic spacecraft Hayabusa2 shot past asteroid 98943 Torifune and captured pictures .”

— APOD editors, July 14, 2026

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
July 14, 2026
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: Image Credit & Copyright: JAXA , U. of Tokyo , Chiba Tech , Tokyo U. of Science , AIST , Paris Obs. , IAC
Copyright
Copyrighted by the credited creator. Ask the copyright holder before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 149 words

All of July 2026 → · 2026 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

Topics in this entry

Asteroids

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: July 14 in other years

On Amazon

Popular picks for space fans

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Electronics Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB Read astronomy and space-history books anywhere. View on Amazon → Electronics Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones Noise-cancelling headphones for documentaries and launch livestreams. View on Amazon →

Source

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.