Asteroid 2867 Å teins Rosetta Spacecraft encounter.

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3488

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<p><font size="4">First images of Asteroid 2867 <font color="#000080">&Scaron;</font>teins captured for navigation.</font> </p><p><font size="2"><strong>2867 &Scaron;</strong></font><font size="2"><strong>teins was within 3 arc seconds from the predicted position.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>It's looking good for the close pass on: Sunday 5th September 2008.&nbsp;</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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3488

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">Is this the first close encounter with 2867 Steins? <br /> Posted by baulten</font></DIV></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>Hi baulten, it is indeed.&nbsp;</strong></font></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>Regarding the upcoming 2867 Steins encounter , despite being no larger than some mountains on Earth, 2867 Steins has much of interest to offer. The spectra so far obtained suggests a basaltic makeup, not too different in composition to the Earth's mantle or the surface of Mercury.&nbsp;</strong></font></p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>It appears that 2867 Steins is a very rare type of asteroid. Basalt rich ones like that are very rare. I wonder even, if 2867 Steins is actually a piece knocked off the giant asteroid 4 Vesta, that DAWN will orbit & survey first?<br /><br />Any how, this is the first encounter with a very rare basalt asteroid & I am looking forward to it immensely. <br /></strong></font><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>We have not yet encountered such an asteroid, mostly type S types so far with 253Mathilde being the only C type seen up close (perhaps the Mars Moons Phobos & Deimos being D Types, very primitive). </strong></font></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>2867 Steins is offering something very different. Also the asteroids record the history of their repective regions very well, depth of regolith, impact craters, boulders, etc. 2867 Steins will tell us very much. I am really looking forward to this actually & also only one month prior to MESSENGER's second Mercury encounter & a very close Cassini Enceladus encounter, not to mention that Phoenix on Mars is starting to detect a change of season in the high northern latitude on Mars.</strong></font></p><p><strong><font size="2" color="#000000">I wonder also if 2867 Steins is somewhat larger than expected? It was stated that the navigation camera also imaged 2867 Steins, despite the fact, that was not expected till the beginning of September.&nbsp;</font></strong></p><p><font size="2"><strong>If 2867 Steins is indeed 4.5 KM wide, with an anticipated resolution of 15 metres per pixel, then the asteroid should appear to be about 300 pixels across at closest approach.&nbsp;</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><span style="font-size:85%"><strong>So do not be surprised if 2867 <span style="color:#000000">&Scaron;</span>teins turns out to be a completely different size to that expected. Because this willbe a relatively slow encounter, Rosetta should see much of 2867 <span style="color:#000000">&Scaron;</span>teins during approach (earlier Rosetta obs suggests a rotational period of about 6 hours), as Galileo did with 243 Ida & 951 Gaspra.</strong></span></font></p><p><strong><font size="2">Andrew Brown.</font></strong>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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<p>Now under 9 days to closest approach</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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3488

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">Now under 9 days to closest approach <br /> Posted by MeteorWayne</font></DIV></p><p><font size="2"><strong>It is indeed Wayne,</strong></font></p><p><font size="4">Also just released a schedule of events here.&nbsp;</font></p><p><strong><font size="2">It looks like the images & other first data is going to be available quite quickly. ESA are getting better at data release in a timely fashion. </font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2">Did not have to wait long for the best Phobos images from Mars Express, not too long ago & it looks like 2867 Steins imagery is also going to be made available quickly. </font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2">2867 Steins may only be a small asteroid, but is very different to what has been seen close up till now.&nbsp;</font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2">Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</font></strong></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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Philotas

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>It is indeed Wayne,Also just released a schedule of events here.&nbsp;It looks like the images & other first data is going to be available quite quickly. ESA are getting better at data release in a timely fashion. Did not have to wait long for the best Phobos images from Mars Express, not too long ago & it looks like 2867 Steins imagery is also going to be made available quickly. 2867 Steins may only be a small asteroid, but is very different to what has been seen close up till now.&nbsp;Andrew Brown.&nbsp; <br />Posted by 3488</DIV><br /><br />One can never get enough of asteroids anyway, can one? <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-laughing.gif" border="0" alt="Laughing" title="Laughing" /></p><p>&nbsp;Eight days and 50+ minutes left for the encounter.</p><p>&nbsp;Countdown</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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<p>Time for a bump!!</p><p>From our good friend Emily at The Planetary Society:</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The closest approach to 2867 Steins happens at 18:37 UTC on Friday, September 5, at a distance of 800 kilometers.</p><p>I understand that the first images are planned to be released (assuming all goes well) on Saturday, September 6, at a press event at the European Space Operations Centre at 12:40 CEST (10:40 UTC); hopefully they'll be released on the Internet concurrently with that, and I'll find them when I wake up on Saturday morning. In the meantime, I'll repost my science timeline here. </p><p>To see the timeline, check out the blog at:</p><p>http://www.planetary.org/blog/</p><p>It's one of only 4 or 5 blogs on the entire "Interwebz" worth reading regularly.</p><p>And here's Dan's Muller's real time simulation.</p><p>http://www.dmuller.net/realtime/index.php?mission=rosetta</p><p>MW</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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3488

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<p><strong><font size="2">Thanks Wayne,</font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2">You can bet on me checking the site regularly come Saturday for the images. </font></strong><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/3/7/43cea378-9971-4f55-a7dc-e0bc9bec0ac8.Medium.gif" alt="" />&nbsp; <strong><font size="2"><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/3/15/9340c60f-568e-4813-af7c-a1499b90a054.Medium.gif" alt="" /></font></strong><br /><strong><font size="2">#</font></strong><br /><strong><font size="2">In addition to the Emily Lakdawalla's Planetary Society Blog, which is & will be one of the best sources of information, Wayne has linked to, there is the official ESA one below: &nbsp;</font></strong></p><p><font size="4">Here is the ESA Rosetta 2867 Steins blog.</font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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Carrickagh

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<p>Not to go off-topic, but while they are waking up some of these instruments do they also check the "health" of the Philae lander?</p><p>I realize its date with 67P/C-G is several years out, but it was used to take some snaps of Mars in early 2007. I was just wondering how it was doing.</p><p>CK<br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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<p>A little background on Steins and the mission...from ESA.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Steins was discovered in 1969 by N Chernykh at Nauchnyj, Crimea, and first listed as 1969 VC. After its orbit was firstly established, it received the number 2867 and was named after Karlis Augustovich Steins, the former director of the Latvian University Astronomical Observatory. Before the Rosetta team chose it for their fly-by, it was an object about which astronomers knew very little. <br /><br />So, an observational campaign with ground-based telescopes was started in order to piece together some facts in preparation for the closer look. Steins surprised them: it turned out to be a kind of asteroid that no spacecraft had flown close to before. <br /><br />Called an E-type asteroid, it may once have been part of the outer regions of a much larger asteroid, which has fragmented. Such E-type asteroids are quite rare.<br />&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;<br /><a name="subhead4"></a>Asteroids are important because they pre-date the planets and retain a memory of that phase of the Solar System&rsquo;s formation: they are the pieces that got left behind in the process of planet formation. Planets form in a chaotic process in which some planetesimals collide and coalesce, whilst others impact each other with such energy that they fragment. After millions of years, the coalescence wins and planets are formed.<br />&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;<br /><a name="subhead5"></a>In the asteroid belt, however, the accretion process was halted with the birth of Jupiter because its enormous gravity shepherded the asteroids into more orderly orbits. This reduced the chances of collision and effectively stopped the asteroids from developing into planets any further.<br />&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;<br /><a name="subhead6"></a>During the fly-by campaign Rosetta will be taking accurate measurements of the asteroid&rsquo;s size, shape and volume, and will measure its rotation rate and reflectivity of the surface. It will also take images and spectra, from which conclusions can be drawn about its composition and collisional history. Rosetta will be on the lookout for natural satellites around Steins, dust and any magnetic field that the asteroid might be generating. <br /><br />Apart from delivering brand-new science, this fly-by acts as a rehearsal for the campaign planned for asteroid Lutetia in 2010.<br />&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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Philotas

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<p>It's cool to see that ESA is giving such a great coverage on this particular flyby; I think only the Huygens-landing comes anywhere near?</p><p>Anyhow, here's&nbsp;an animation released today showing Steins nearing. The closest pass is due in one hour and 29 minutes.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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kamikazi

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">Not to go off-topic, but while they are waking up some of these instruments do they also check the "health" of the Philae lander?I realize its date with 67P/C-G is several years out, but it was used to take some snaps of Mars in early 2007. I was just wondering how it was doing.CK <br /> Posted by Carrickagh</font></DIV></p><p><strong><font size="2" color="#000000">Hi Carrickagh,</font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2" color="#000000">Not off topic really & a perfectly valid question at this time.</font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2" color="#000000">Philae will be used during the 2867 Steins encounter. Not sure if Philae will be used for imagery, but Philae will be used for the fields & particles observations. If 2867 Steins is in the field of view, then why not shoot off an image, it will test the camera, the first time since the Mars encounter. &nbsp;</font></strong></p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">It's cool to see that ESA is giving such a great coverage on this particular flyby; I think only the Huygens-landing comes anywhere near?Anyhow, here's&nbsp;an animation released today showing Steins nearing. The closest pass is due in one hour and 29 minutes. <br /> Posted by Philotas</font></DIV></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>Cheers Philotas.&nbsp;</strong></font></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>Closest approach was five minutes ago now.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>Rosetta Spacecraft was in perfect working order as the 2867 Steins attitude maneuver was successfully carried out. Downloading will be commencing in One Hour & 56 minutes. &nbsp;</strong></font></p><p><font size="2" color="#000000"><strong>Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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3488

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<p><font size="2"><strong>Signal reaquired bang on schedule. Rosetta in excellent shape & all C A observations were made. Looks like images will back fairly quickly, all appeared to go extremely well. </strong></font><br /> <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/4/1/448dede8-e93d-4782-a109-f7930a29caf4.Medium.gif" alt="" /></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Get that data back.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>&nbsp;Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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3488

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<p><font size="2"><strong>2867 Steins @ closest approach enlarged.<br /><br />Strange seven crater 'crater chain'<br /><br />North Pole Crater @ top 2.5KM across.</strong></font><br /> <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/7/3/9700d91d-5b50-43dc-93b5-5cc50e695877.Medium.jpg" alt="" /><br />&nbsp;</p><p><font size="2"><strong>Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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3488

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<p><font size="4">2867 Steins 6 image panel. </font><br /> <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/7/13/97470e6f-3e94-4acf-ad82-8afe0b612825.Medium.jpg" alt="" /></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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Philotas

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<p><img src="http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/3676/steinsdiamantenphimmelebq3.th.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></p><p>&nbsp;I like one of the early images; Steins does really look like a diamond on it. <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-laughing.gif" border="0" alt="Laughing" title="Laughing" /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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silylene old

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Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>2867 Steins @ closest approach enlarged.Strange seven crater 'crater chain'North Pole Crater @ top 2.5KM across. &nbsp;Andrew Brown.&nbsp; <br />Posted by 3488</DIV><br /><br />The seven-crater crater chain is really odd.&nbsp; I am still trying to imagine a scenario in which that could've happened.&nbsp; I can't imagine a comet broken in seven pieces in which the pieces were coincidentally so close together (Stein is small, and the crates are close).&nbsp; And the gravitational pull of Stein is not enough to break up an approaching object, I think. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><em><font color="#0000ff">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</font></em> </div><div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><font color="#0000ff"><em>I really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function.</em></font> </div> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>The seven-crater crater chain is really odd.&nbsp; I am still trying to imagine a scenario in which that could've happened.&nbsp; I can't imagine a comet broken in seven pieces in which the pieces were coincidentally so close together (Stein is small, and the crates are close).&nbsp; And the gravitational pull of Stein is not enough to break up an approaching object, I think. <br />Posted by silylene</DIV><br /><br />One&nbsp;possibility is an asteroid spun up by the YORP effect until it disintegrates. The remnants don't have much velocity relative to each other (unlike one shattered by an impact) so tend to remain close.<br /><br />Battered little sucker, ain't it? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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3488

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">One&nbsp;possibility is an asteroid spun up by the YORP effect until it disintegrates. The remnants don't have much velocity relative to each other (unlike one shattered by an impact) so tend to remain close.Battered little sucker, ain't it? <br /> Posted by MeteorWayne</font></DIV></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Hi Wayne,&nbsp;</strong></font></p><p><strong><font size="2">I wonder if 2867 Steins is too large & too far from the Sun for the YORP Effect? Wayne knows much more than I do on such matters.<br /><br />I am happy indeed with the results. A bummer that the NAC camera went into safing 9 minutes prior to C A, but none the less, we have a nice collection, with more on the way. <br /><br />Yes she is a little battered. But is also very angular as mikeemmert suggested, he is correct & also appears to back up my theory that 2867 Steins may be a chunk knocked off 4 Vesta.<br /><br />The spectral data is being analysed as we 'speak'.<br /></font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2">A better six image montage from the ESA site than the earlier screen dump earlier I posted.</font></strong></p><p><font size="4">Six Image Montage 2867 Steins. </font><br /> <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/1/9/61e7b15a-f950-47cc-89da-878cd204d8fb.Medium.jpg" alt="" /><br />&nbsp;</p><p><strong><font size="2">Also I have been working on a few images myself.<br /><br />2867 Steins 2.5 KM wide North Pole Crater.</font></strong><br />&nbsp;<img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/9/7/99945f85-9785-4c33-a7c2-0e63ed31bc84.Medium.jpg" alt="" /></p><p><font size="2"><strong>2867 Steins crater chain.</strong></font></p><p>&nbsp;<br /> <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/6/6/a659c86d-c08f-40b7-8684-81a37e41ae9a.Medium.jpg" alt="" /></p><p><strong><font size="2">2867 Steins just before closest approach.</font></strong><br /><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/11/8/db9360e5-25e1-4650-b8e4-338abf56adac.Medium.jpg" alt="" /></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Andrew Brown.</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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Carrickagh

Guest
<p>The crater chain is pretty cool. I remember seeing a picture of one on Ganymede that was almost a straight line, and over 100 kms long. </p><p>The craters in the Steins chain seem, on first inspection, to be "looking" at slightly different angles. I don't know if this is common for a crater chain. Most of the ones I've seen all seem to align on the same vector with the crater centers sort of lined up in the same direction.</p><p>Could this crater chain merely be a line of craters. Could it have happened over a long period of time? Perhaps ejecta from the big crater orbited Steins and eventually, over millenia, collided with the main body?</p><p>CK</p><p>PS: To paraphrase a line from Sir Arthur's "The Sands of Mars" I'm glad to hear Philae is "still making the same noises it was the last time they checked."</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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silylene old

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>One&nbsp;possibility is an asteroid spun up by the YORP effect until it disintegrates. The remnants don't have much velocity relative to each other (unlike one shattered by an impact) so tend to remain close.Battered little sucker, ain't it? <br />Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV></p><p>Actually that is a good explanation.&nbsp; I am curious what the journals will say.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><em><font color="#0000ff">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</font></em> </div><div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><font color="#0000ff"><em>I really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function.</em></font> </div> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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<p>more on 2867 Steins.<br /><br />It orbits in the inner core of the Asteroid belt between the Jupiter induced Kirkwood gaps at 4:1 resonance (2.06 AU) and 3:1 resonance (2.5 AU).<br /><br />Perihelion 2.02 AU, semimajor axis 2.37 AU, aphelion 2.71 AU.<br /><br />Here's the small body database browser page:<br /><br />http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2867...cov=0;log=0#orb<br /><br />And here's a display of the asteroid belt; semimajor axis on the bottom axis (Steins 2.37 AU), inclination on the vertical axis (Steins 9.9 degrees)<br /><br /><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/1/0/e14be7e9-1d46-43a7-806f-7504a17121c4.Medium.png" alt="" /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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3488

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">more on 2867 Steins.It orbits in the inner core of the Asteroid belt between the Jupiter induced Kirkwood gaps at 4:1 resonance (2.06 AU) and 3:1 resonance (2.5 AU).Perihelion 2.02 AU, semimajor axis 2.37 AU, aphelion 2.71 AU.Here's the small body database browser page:</font><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#000080">http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2867...cov=0;log=0#orb</font>And here's a display of the asteroid belt; semimajor axis on the bottom axis (Steins 2.37 AU), inclination on the vertical axis (Steins 9.9 degrees) <br /> Posted by MeteorWayne</font></DIV></p><p><font color="#000000"><strong><font size="2">Thanks Wayne, I was gonna post that link myself.</font></strong></font></p><p><font color="#000000"><strong><font size="2">9.9 degree inclination. IIRC 2867 Steins is by far the most inclined orbit Main Belt asteroid encounted so far. </font></strong></font></p><p><font color="#000000"><strong><font size="2">One thing that got my attention was that it was mentioned in the Press Conference this morning, that 2867 Steins appears to have no axial tilt, or if so, it is much less than one degree. In other words, 2867 Steins rotates bolt upright & has no 'seasons' (unlike 433 Eros & 951 Gaspra which have profound seasons, 433 Eros extreme seasons to say the least).</font></strong></font></p><p><font color="#000000"><strong><font size="2">I was hoping to find out what the direction of the rotation is, but there has been no mention of that & the images I've seen so far do not cover a long enough period to show.</font></strong></font></p><p><font color="#000080"><font size="4">View from Asteroid 2867 Steins at time of Rosetta Spacecraft encounter. </font></font><br /><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/9/15/5975a273-ac32-493f-af54-a30217ce524a.Medium.gif" alt="" /></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'> One thing that got my attention was that it was mentioned in the Press Conference this morning, that 2867 Steins appears to have no axial tilt, or if so, it is much less than one degree. In other 2867 Steins rotates bolt upright & has no 'seasons' (unlike 433 Eros & 951 Gaspra which have profound seasons, 433 Eros extreme seasons to say the least).I was hoping to find out what the direction of the rotation is, but there has been no mention of that & the images I've seen so far do not cover a long enough period to show.View from Asteroid 2867 Steins at time of Rosetta Spacecraft encounter. Andrew Brown.&nbsp; <br />Posted by 3488</DIV><br /><br />I'll do some research on that, my friend. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
3

3488

Guest
<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">I'll do some research on that, my friend. <br /> Posted by MeteorWayne</font></DIV></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Thank you very much Wayne.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>I have asked ESA if they could make available for all of the encounter images from OSIRIS. One reason was just that & another, some from post closest approach, used in the animation show that the North Pole Crater may have a valley or at least a dip in the wall running into it but disappears into the night.</strong></font></p><p><strong><font size="2">It was a great shame that the NAC went into Safing nine minutes prior to CA, but that's not everything. We still have a superb crop of high quality images, showing a wealth of surface detail on 2867 Steins.&nbsp;</font></strong></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Also shows a nice high phase & shape profile of the asteroid from 'behind'. This all stuff that I will share here, with the community. </strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>I think I do do a great deal with those images & research them fairly well. This encounter has delivered much & has not been a disappointment.</strong></font></p><strong><font size="2">I still think that 2867 Steins is a piece knocked off 4 Vesta. <br /></font></strong><p><font size="2"><strong>Once again, thank you Wayne. You are a good friend.&nbsp;</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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