An animation of Itokawa from Hayabusa

Filed under pretty pictures, animation, asteroids, asteroid 25143 Itokawa, Hayabusa (MUSES-C)

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This tiny animation of Itokawa represents 20 individual images taken between 18:10 on September 5 and 00:30 on September 6, 2005, from a distance of less than 700 kilometers away. The animation confirmed ground-based estimates of its rotation rate, about once per 12 hours.

ISAS / JAXA

Original image data dated on or about September 6, 2005