NAVCAM A tracks asteroid Steins between 25 and 29 August 2008
Date: 29 August 2008
Satellite: Rosetta
Depicts: NAVCAM A series of asteroid Steins, 25/29 August 2008
Copyright: ESA
Animation comprising five navigation images taken daily between 25 and 29 August 2008 with one of Rosetta's navigation cameras (NAVCAM A) while approaching asteroid Steins.
The integration times of the images are decreasing, such that the apparent brightness of asteroid Steins remains constant, whereas the stars become fainter.
The attitude profile was computed such that it was following the asteroid (centre of the frame), so we see the stars moving relative to asteroid Steins in the five successive images. The fainter specs across the image that also stay fixed are not stars but artefacts from the camera's CCD sensor.
Last Update: 1 September 2019