Eidolon

57838 Eidolon is an Earth-grazer classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA). Its unusual shape, resembling a human skull due to the angles of shadows on its surface, has earned it the nicknames "Face in Space" and "Comet Skull."

Story

First Discovery

Eidolon was first identified in 2006 and has since been classified as a PHA, due to its size and proximity to Earth's orbit. Despite this designation, it is expected to maintain a stable orbit around Earth for the next five centuries.

Since its discovery, Eidolon has been photographed four times. The second photograph was taken by Angela Gerhardt on 5 September 2016, and the fourth image was captured by Hank Haidemann on 19 May 2020.

CLOSE Mission

Subsequently, a significant mission was launched to explore Eidolon more thoroughly. The Cometary Lander Orbiter Survey Expedition, conducted by the Space & Aeronautics Regulatory Oversight, aimed to deploy a spacecraft equipped with both a separable orbiter and a lander. The mission's objective was to facilitate close-range exploration of Eidolon.

Twenty-six minutes after the orbiter's deployment, it successfully landed on the surface of the comet. However, an unexpectedly large, human-designed door was found embedded in Eidolon’s surface. As this door opened, it propelled the orbiter away from the comet.

Trivia

• The Greek word "eidolon" translates to "idol" or "image," and in ancient Greek, it commonly referred to a phantom, apparition, or a representation of something.
• It is likely heavily inspired by the real life asteroid, "2015 TB145", which passed by earth on Halloween, 2015.