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Imaging of Asteroid 433 Eros During NEAR's Flyby Reconnaissance

1999; American Association for the Advancement of Science; Volume: 285; Issue: 5427 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1126/science.285.5427.562

1095-9203

J. Veverka, P. C. Thomas, J. F. Bell, Maureen Bell, B. Carcich, B. E. Clark, A. Harch, J. Joseph, Patrick Martin, M. S. Robinson, S. L. Murchie, N. R. Izenberg, Ed Hawkins, J. Warren, Robert W. Farquhar, A. F. Cheng, David Dunham, C. R. Chapman, W. J. Merline, L. A. McFadden, D. D. Wellnitz, M. C. Malin, W. M. Owen, James Miller, B. G. Williams, D. K. Yeomans,

earthquake and tectonic studies

During the 23 December 1998 flyby of asteroid 433 Eros, the Near-Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft obtained 222 images of Eros, as well as supporting spectral observations. The images cover slightly more than two-thirds of Eros (best resolution is ∼400 meters per pixel) and reveal an elongated, cratered body with a linear feature extending for at least 20 kilometers. Our observations show that Eros has dimensions of 33 × 13 × 13 kilometers. The volume, combined with the mass determined by the NEAR radio science experiment, leads to a density of 2.5 ± 0.8 grams per cubic centimeter. This relatively high density, and the presence of an extensive linear feature, suggest that Eros may be a structurally coherent body.