The Spacious Structure of Asteroid 2011 MD

Spitzer_sig14-017b_1024

spitzer_sig14-017b June 19th, 2014

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle (IPAC)

Observations from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveal new information about the structure of 2011 MD, a small asteroid being considered by NASA for its proposed Asteroid Redirect Mission, or ARM. Spitzer's infrared images helped reveal that this asteroid consists of about two-thirds empty space. One possible structure for such an asteroid is illustrated here: a solid clump loosely packed with fine debris.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/6005-sig14-017b-The-Spacious-Structure-of-Asteroid-2011-MD

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

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Image Details

Image Type
Artwork
Object Name
2011 MD
Subject - Solar System
Interplanetary Body > Asteroid
Spitzer_sig14-017b_1280
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ID
sig14-017b
Subject Category
A.2.3  
Subject Name
2011 MD
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle (IPAC)
Type
Artwork
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Instrument
Color Assignment
Band
Bandpass
Central Wavelength
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
Equinox
Reference Value
Reference Dimension
Reference Pixel
Scale
Rotation
Coordinate System Projection:
Quality
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Spitzer Space Telescope
URL
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu
Name
Email
Telephone
Address
1200 E. California Blvd.
City
Pasadena
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
91125
Country
USA
Rights
Publisher
Spitzer Science Center
Publisher ID
spitzer
Resource ID
sig14-017b.tif
Metadata Date
2014-12-10
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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There is no distance meta data in this image.

 

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