NEAR's Flyby of 253 Mathilde: Images of a C Asteroid

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 278; no. 5346; pp. 2109 - 2114
• Main Authors: Veverka, J., Thomas, P., Harch, A., Clark, B., Bell, J. F., Carcich, B., Joseph, J., Chapman, C., Merline, W., Robinson, M., Malin, M., McFadden, L. A., Murchie, S., Hawkins, S. E., Farquhar, R., Izenberg, N., Cheng, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for the Advancement of Science 19.12.1997; American Association for the Advancement of Science; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Albedo; Asteroids; Asteroids (minor planets); Astronomy; Diameters; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Image resolution; Imaging; Impact craters; Mathematical objects; Mathematical surfaces; Pixels; Planets, their satellites and rings. Asteroids; Portrayals; Scientific Concepts; Solar system; Space exploration; Spacecraft; Flyby missions; Image analysis; Space probe observation; Density; Asteroids
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.278.5346.2109

On 27 June 1997, the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft flew within 1212 kilometers of asteroid 253 Mathilde. Mathilde is an irregular, heavily cratered body measuring 66 kilometers by 48 kilometers by 46 kilometers. The asteroid's surface is dark (estimated albedo between 0.035 and 0.050) and similar in color to some CM carbonaceous chondrites. No albedo or color variations were detected. The volume derived from the images and the mass from Doppler tracking of the spacecraft yield a mean density of 1.3 ± 0.2 grams per cubic centimeter, about half that of CM chondrites, indicating a porous interior structure.