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Images of Asteroid 21 Lutetia: A Remnant Planetesimal from the Early Solar System

Jorda, L.; Pätzold, M.; Bertaux, J. -L. +55 more

Images obtained by the Optical, Spectroscopic, and Infrared Remote Imaging System (OSIRIS) cameras onboard the Rosetta spacecraft reveal that asteroid 21 Lutetia has a complex geology and one of the highest asteroid densities measured so far, 3.4 ± 0.3 grams per cubic centimeter. The north pole region is covered by a thick layer of regolith, which…

The Surface Composition and Temperature of Asteroid 21 Lutetia As Observed by Rosetta/VIRTIS

Langevin, Y.; Bellucci, G.; Jaumann, R. +46 more

The Visible, InfraRed, and Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) on Rosetta obtained hyperspectral images, spectral reflectance maps, and temperature maps of the asteroid 21 Lutetia. No absorption features, of either silicates or hydrated minerals, have been detected across the observed area in the spectral range from 0.4 to 3.5 micrometers. The s…

Asteroid 21 Lutetia: Low Mass, High Density

Pätzold, M.; Lamy, P.; Sierks, H. +9 more

Asteroid 21 Lutetia was approached by the Rosetta spacecraft on 10 July 2010. The additional Doppler shift of the spacecraft radio signals imposed by 21 Lutetia’s gravitational perturbation on the flyby trajectory were used to determine the mass of the asteroid. Calibrating and correcting for all Doppler contributions not associated with Lutetia, …