Astronomy Picture of the Day · December 28, 2005

Smooth Sections on Asteroid Itokawa

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for December 28, 2005 is “Smooth Sections on Asteroid Itokawa,” an image. The picture is copyrighted by its creator (Credit & Copyright: ISAS , JAXA). The original explanation runs about 130 words.

From the explanation

“Why are parts of this asteroid’s surface so smooth? No one is yet sure, but it may have to do with the dynamics of an asteroid that is a loose pile of rubble rather than a solid rock.”

— APOD editors, December 28, 2005

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date: December 28, 2005
Type: Image
Credit: Credit & Copyright: ISAS , JAXA
Copyright: Copyrighted by the credited creator. Ask the copyright holder before reusing it.
Explanation length: About 130 words

All of December 2005 → · 2005 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

Topics in this entry

Asteroids

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: December 28 in other years

On Amazon

Popular picks for space fans

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Electronics Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB Read astronomy and space-history books anywhere. View on Amazon → Electronics Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones Noise-cancelling headphones for documentaries and launch livestreams. View on Amazon →

Source

Astronomy Picture of the Day, December 28, 2005 — science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-2005-december-28-smooth-sections-on-asteroid-itokawa

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.