Asteroid 1999 KW4 (IMAGE)
Caption
The unique capabilities of the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope have enabled it to obtain the sharpest images of a double asteroid as it flew by Earth on May 25. While this double asteroid was not itself a threatening object, scientists used the opportunity to rehearse the response to a hazardous Near-Earth Object (NEO), proving that ESO's front-line technology could be critical in planetary defense.
The left-hand image shows SPHERE observations of Asteroid 1999 KW4. The angular resolution in this image is equivalent to picking out a single building in New York -- from Paris. An artist's impression is also shown for comparison on the right.
Credit
ESO
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