433 Eros

One of the largest and best observed near-Earth asteroids is 433 Eros, discovered in 1898 independently by G. Witt (Germany) and A. Chalois (France). Eros accounts for half of the volume of all near-Earth asteroids. The potato-shaped Eros is one of the most elongated asteroids, with estimated dimensions of 35 x 15 x 13 kilometers, so it almost fits within the Baltimore Beltway. Eros orbits around the Sun with a perihelion of 1.13 AU (169,045,593 km) and 1.78 AU (266,284,209 km), and it rotates once every 5.27 hours. Though it is an S type asteroid, it is somewhat varied in its chemical composition. Its opposite sides have slightly different mineralogies. The gravity on Eros is very weak but enough to hold a spacecraft. There is no air and no evidence of water. The day time temperature of Eros is about 100 C while at night in plunges to -150 C.

Although information already known about Eros was obtained by telescope and the use of radar, more extensive research of Eros is planned. On February 17, 1996, NASA launched a spacecraft to orbit Eros as part of their Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous mission.

[Picture of EROS]

Picture by Pat Rawlings, SAIC

[NO FRAMES]Table of Contents for no frames/no JAVA browsing.
[LMGFP Home Page] Contact Steve Bowser (slbowser@umd5.umd.edu) or
Joy Maloney (jmaloney@umd5.umd.edu) for further information.