the-big-picture-captions

1. Approach images of Asteroid Lutetia. The first image was taken at 06:18 (about 9.5 hours before closest approach, 510000 kms from the asteroid), the last one at 14:15 (about 1.5 hours before closest approach, 81000 km from the asteroid.). The resolution changes from 9.6 km/pixel to 1.5 km/pixel.

2. At a distance of 36000km the OSIRIS Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) took this image catching the planet Saturn in the background.

3. Final sequence of images before closest approach (CA-8, CA-4:40, CA-2, CA-1:50)

4. Lutetia at Closest approach.

5. Zoom in on a possible landslide and boulders at the highest resolution.

6. Zoom into detail with grooves and craters.

7. Farewell Lutetia.

©ESA 2010 MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/RSSD/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA