Caption: "Photograph of the full disc of the asteroid 162173 Ryugu as it appeared to the Hayabusa2 (2014--2020) spacecraft 2018 Jun26, 03:50 UTC. The photograph was taken by the Hayabusa2's Optical Navigation Camera - Telescopic (ONC-T) at a distance of 20 kilometers (12 miles). Ryugu is the 23rd minor planet studied by a spacecraft in situ and is the target of the second ever sample-return mission to an asteroid (i.e., Hayabusa2's)." (Somewhat edited.)
As one can see, Ryugu has a typical airless world look: heavily impact cratered with a smooth look caused by space weathering which coats the surface with regolith. See space_weathering.html for more on space weathering and regolith.
Credit/Permission: ©
JAXA,
et al.,
2018 /
No permission.
Image link: Itself.
Local file: local link: 162173_ryugu.html.
File: Alien images file:
162173_ryugu.html.
