Researchers using data from the Gaia mission’s third data release have found 3,038 binary asteroid candidates. These celestial pairs include an asteroid and a smaller moonlet. Using a novel detection method that records periodic “wobbling” in the astrometric data, the team showcased a previously unexplored population of binary asteroids, particularly among small and intermediate-sized objects. The Gaia spacecraft, launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2013, has revolutionized astronomy by providing unprecedentedly accurate measurements of the positions, distances, and motions of over …