TABLE OF CONTENTS.
A1. OVERVIEW.
A2. ONE EROS DAY.
A3. SCRATCHES.
A4. TRACKS.
A5. SQUARE CRATERS.
A6. GANYMEDE.
A7. MOONSCAPE.
A8. EROS.
A1. OVERVIEW.
Asteroid 433-Eros is shaped something like a slipper, a remarkable space island about the size of Marthas Vineyard MA [33 x 13 x 13 Km or 21 x 8 x 8 miles].
When this image was taken the camera aboard satellite NEAR was two days & 970 miles from Eros, about the distance from from Richmond VA to Miami FLA.
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To flip back & forth between this page and image page:
Use the BACK/FORWARD buttons,
Click alternate pages to the front or
Close/Open the image page.
Some of the pictures may take a while to appear. If you get only part of a picture or one with an icon where the picture should be or some other rubbish try using the Refresh button [Control-R].
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A2. ONE EROS DAY.
The next twelve images were taken at equal intervals as Eros tumbled through one of its short days.
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A3. SCRATCHES.
a. Eros.
Heavy scratches are seen in the crater & to its left, but not to the right. The scratched areas are swept clear of craters [well nearly clear].
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b. Phobos.
Here's an unforgettable view of Phobos, Mar's larger inner Moon, showing similar, but much larger markings.
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c. Deimos.
...And in startling contrast, Deimos, the smaller outer Moon's bland surface.
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Project: Draw Eros, Deimos & Phobos to scale.
A4. TRACKS.
At the far right, just below the horizon, are faint drag marks that slant down, turn abruptly left, go up the hill to the crater rim & disappear in its shadow. See them?
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What do you imagine caused them?
A5. SQUARE CRATERS.
a. Discovery.
In September 2000 square craters were discovered on Eros, not geometrically square mind you, but just squarish looking. [Use the scroll bars.]
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b. Barringer Crater.
Barringer Crater, near Winslow Arizona, is also squarish looking and has been studied intensively for decades, primarily by Dr. Eugene M. Shoemaker. Go see it some time.
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c. Comparison.
A square crater on Eros & the Barringer crater are shown side by side to the same scale. I wonder what Eros crater is about the size of the Barringer crater?
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Why do Eros craters look so soft compared with say those in the Lunar mountains?
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Clicking any Astronomy Picture Of the Day [APOD], including this one, gives an enlarged version with no caption. Try it.
Some of the links in the picture captions do fun things, try them as well. Bring your lunch.
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A6. GANYMEDE.
Ganymede, Jupiter's giant Galilean Moon, has a long line of craters in one of its flow fields. At the right end of the line is a hexagon shaped crater. An intriguing scene, I wonder what caused it? [Ganymede is big it's bigger than Mercury!]
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A7. MOONSCAPE.
a. Fractured Lunar Boulder.
During Apollo 17 Scientist-Astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt stands beside a large fractured bolder surrounded by a featureless Moonscape reaching as far as the eye can see. The fracture & location suggest this boulder might be an asteroid, but if is an asteroid why isn't there more of an impact crater?
Notice the debris on the lower flat part of the boulder. What's that doing there?
This magnificent- puzzling scene was photographed by Astronaut Eugene A. Cernan, commander, December 13, 1972.
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b. Smooth Moon.
Schmitt & rover seen on the previous day, December 12, 1972, near what might be the other side of the fractured boulder.
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c. Cratered Moon.
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d. Earth Rise.
A blue & white gem rises over the lumpy- pail brown- Earth lit- Lunar terrain.
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What similarities do you find between these Moon scenes & those of Eros?
A8. EROS.
a. The mysterious South Saddle.
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b. Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
Wow, what a place!
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End part A.
7/18/01.