 |
NEAR Captures Eros’ Heart LAUREL, MD – (Feb. 13, 2000) – Just in time for its Valentine’s Day date
with 433 Eros, the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft snapped
this photo during its approach to the 21-mile-long space rock. Taken Feb.
11, 2000, from 1,609 miles (2590 kilometers) away, the picture reveals a
heart-shaped depression about 3 miles (5 kilometers) long. Scientists at the
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory – which manages the NASA
mission -processed the image on Feb. 12. Photos taken from closer in during
the next few days will help the NEAR team unravel the mystery of this
shadowy feature.(Image 0125693155)
