Asteroid lutecia full of craters

2010/07/13 Aulestiarte Lete, Izaro - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa

• Astronautika
• Astronomia

The Rosetta probe of the European Space Agency ESA has passed through the side of the asteroid Lutezia and has just obtained the first images that show that its surface is covered with craters.

Rosetta passed on July 10 beside this asteroid at 3,162 kilometers away at 15 kilometers per second. And the images obtained at that time have revealed the superficial aspect of Lutetia.

At the time of the approach, the rotation of the asteroid revealed a great depression that occupies a significant part of the surface. Due to the abundance of craters, researchers have concluded that the asteroid has suffered numerous collisions in its existence for 4.5 billion years.

All these highly accurate images have been obtained thanks to the OSIRIS device of the space probe, a great lens combined with a telephoto lens. ESA has also specified that Lutecia is elongated and has a length of about 130 kilometers.

From now on, Rosetta begins the journey of encounter with the comet of Txuriumov-Gerasimen. Upon reaching its orbit, it will travel to the comet from the Jupiter area to the Sun. If the forecasts are met, it will reach its destination in 2014 with the intention of obtaining new data.

Photo: ESA.