2001 SPACE SCIENCE VIDEOTAPES |
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Tape Title | Record ID | Date Produced | TRT: |
Synopsis |
| A VIRTUAL EROS TAKE A 3-D SPIN AROUND 433 EROS | G01-008 | 01/30/01 | 00:05:22 | Scientists are releasing new highly detailed 3-D views of the near-Earth asteroid 433 Eros. The images were not captured by a camera, but are the product of over 8 million observations from the NEAR Laser Rangefinder (NLR). Scientists use the data from the NLR to build detailed models of Eros's shape. NEAR team members use this information to help them understand the asteroid's evolution and internal structure. The model can then be used to generate a virtual tour of the asteroid 433 Eros.
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TAPE CONTENTS: |
| ITEM (1): 433 Eros - In 3-D - Scientists are releasing highly detailed 3-D views of the near-Earth asteroid 433 Eros. The images were not captured by a camera, but are the product of over 8 million observations from the NEAR Laser Rangefinder (NLR). The NLR measures heights on Eros' surface by determining the time short pulses of laser light take to travel from
the spacecraft to the asteroid and back. NEAR team members use this information to build detailed models of Eros' shape, which in turn help them understand the asteroid's collisional evolution and internal structure. The shape of Eros also provides a context for interpreting images and compositional information. Courtesy: NASA/JHUAPL/NLR
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| ITEM (2): A Virtual Eros - This sequence combines the topographic model of Eros generated by the NEAR Laser Rangefinder (NLR) with colors sampled from other Eros images. Scientists can examine the asteroid from any angle to help them understand the asteroid's collisional evolution and internal structure. The shape of Eros also provides a context for interpreting images and compositional information. Courtesy: NASA/JHUAPL/NLR
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| ITEM (3): Best Ski Slopes on Eros - The asteroid's shape, density and spin combine to create a bizarre pattern of what is "uphill" and "downhill." In this view, a map of "gravity slope" has been painted onto the topographic model generated by the NEAR Laser Rangefinder (NLR). A ball would tend to roll fastest in the red regions and would tend to stay put in the blue
regions. Courtesy: NASA/JHUAPL/NLR
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| ITEM (4): NEAR Laser Rangefinder Animation - Animation of the NEAR Laser Rangefinder (NRL). The NLR measures heights on Eros' surface by determining the time short pulses of laser light take to travel from the spacecraft to the asteroid and back. The elevations of points on the surface of Eros are determined by subtracting the laser-derived distance between the spacecraft and the surface from the distance between the spacecraft and Eros' center of mass, as determined from radio tracking. Courtesy: NASA/JHUAPL/NLR
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