Astronomy Picture of the Day · April 24, 2012

Rosetta Approaches Asteroid Lutetia

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for April 24, 2012 is “Rosetta Approaches Asteroid Lutetia,” a video. It is credited to Images Credit: ESA / MPS / UPD / LAM / IAA / RSSD / INTA / UPM / DASP / IDA; Video Compilation: Daniel Machacek / YouTube: planetaryprobes. The original explanation runs about 143 words.

From the explanation

“What would it look like to approach an asteroid in a spaceship? In 2010, ESA’s robotic Rosetta spacecraft zipped past the asteroid 21 Lutetia taking data and snapping images in an effort to better determine the history of the asteroid and the origin of its unusual colors .”

— APOD editors, April 24, 2012

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date: April 24, 2012
Type: Video
Credit: Credit: Images Credit: ESA / MPS / UPD / LAM / IAA / RSSD / INTA / UPM / DASP / IDA; Video Compilation: Daniel Machacek / YouTube: planetaryprobes
Copyright: No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length: About 143 words

All of April 2012 → · 2012 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

Topics in this entry

Comets Asteroids

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: April 24 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, April 24, 2012 — science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-2012-april-24-rosetta-approaches-asteroid-lutetia

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.