- Original Caption Released with Image:
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Looking at a few pictures of Eros under the right lighting conditions gives a reasonable idea of the shape of the asteroid, but analysis of NEAR Shoemaker data requires a very accurate digital model of Eros' shape. This "shape model" helps the NEAR team analyze images and other types of data. For example, comparing the brightness of imaged regions with the orientation of the corresponding parts of the surface, taken from the shape model, allows scientists to determine whether bright areas are due to just surface orientation or also to surface properties. By "filling
- Image Credit:
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NASA/JPL/JHUAPL
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