In the first hours after NEAR’s insertion into Eros orbit,
the spacecraft’s camera took these images from a range of
210 miles (330 km) above the surface. The many craters
visible serve as landmarks for navigating the spacecraft.
Mission operators observe such features from different
angles, and use triangulation to calculate NEAR’s position
relative to the surface of Eros. The changes in position
over time help to plot NEAR’s course in orbit.
(Images 0125957273, 0125956839, 0125971425 and 0125971487)