APL was imaged with the 75-millimeter Ralph telescope, but not with the designed reconnaissance imager LORRI because it was not turned on yet. LORRI was not activated until 29 August 2006 when its cover was opened and its first light image would be Messier 7. It was in general possible to capitalize on the target of opportunity, and the asteroid was tracked for several days in June 2006 in addition to the other tests. In March, New Horizons had passed the orbit of Mars, and the spacecraft was undergoing various course correction maneuvers and tests throughout this time; as mentioned LORRI was not activated for another couple months. New Horizons passed through the asteroid belt during the summer of 2006, and the test helped prepare the team and spacecraft for the future flybys of Jupiter and Pluto. The asteroid belt is a feature of the Solar System, consisting of a large number asteroids that orbit the sun primarily between  (Earth-Sun distance) which is between the orbits of planets Mars and Jupiter.