NEAR image of the day for 2000 Jun 16

	A Swath of Eros Full Size JPG (498x1305 pixels; 130K)
	NEAR Shoemaker's scientific observations of Eros focus on different priorities as the spacecraft descends into lower orbits. For example, during the 100-kilometer (62-mile) orbit from April 11 - 22, 2000, the camera's mission was to build a global photomosaic under optimal viewing conditions. Due to the asteroid's irregular shape, doing this required imaging Eros repeatedly until each spot had been covered just right. This swath of images - taken April 13 as part of that mapping campaign - shows several of the asteroid's major features. From top to bottom, these include large craters in the north polar region; part of the ridge that wraps one-third of the way around Eros; the western part of the saddle; and a dense field of enormous boulders. (Mosaic of images 0131031742, 0131031827, 0131031912, 0131031997)
	Previous     ||     Next     ||     Image archive     ||     TIFF image Built and managed by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland, NEAR-Shoemaker was the first spacecraft launched in NASA's Discovery Program of low-cost, small-scale planetary missions. See the NEAR web site for more details. Feedback to Scott Murchie. Scott.Murchie@jhuapl.edu.