We Just Received More Mind-Melting Photos And a Video From The Surface of an Asteroid

[Judi Lynn]

Japan's amazing mission is going down in history.

FIONA MACDONALD 28 SEP 2018
Earlier this week, Japan's space agency Jaxa made history by landing a pair of hopping rovers on an asteroid known as Ryugu, and sending back the first-ever images from the surface of a space rock.

If that wasn't awe-inspiring enough, Jaxa has just released not only more images, but even a small video from Ryugu's surface, and all their footage is mind-meltingly wonderful.

Here's what it looks like to be standing on a rocky, rugged asteroid, hurtling through space 100 million miles (160 million km) from Earth, as the Sun's light beams and flares around you.

We have no words.

More:
https://www.sciencealert.com/japan-s-rover-just-sent-back-mind-melting-new-video-and-photos-from-the-surface-of-an-asteroid

[Hermit-The-Prog]

1. scale

Wish there was something to give a scale to the images. What size are those rocks?
It's definitely other-worldly.

[tblue37]

2. The size of the asteroid is given--Ryugu is 900 metres (2,952 feet) wide--

and the size of the rocks in the pics can be guessed by looking at the image with the 1 kg rover, which is described as being the size of a cookie tin:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DoGSn8OU0AA9z8e?format=jpg&name=360x360

[Hermit-The-Prog]

3. i don't see it

I can see a shadow, but not the rover itself.

[tblue37]

4. But the shadow gives some notion of the rover's size and the relative size of nearby rocks. nt

[Hermit-The-Prog]

5. thanks

If not for your link, I'd still be staring at the thumbnail.

[3Hotdogs]

6. Shit. That ain't nuthin'. Captain Video landed on an astroid in 1950.

--- saw it myself on Dumont Television Network, Channel 5.