Each day we feature a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Gaspra based on data returned by NASA's Galileo spacecraft. Color variations have been added to high resolution images and enhanced to highlight changes in reflectivity, surface structure and composition. The illuminated portion of the asteroid is about 11 miles long. When it arrives at Jupiter , in December 1995, the robot spacecraft's atmospheric probe will descend into Jupiter's atmosphere , becoming the first ever probe to enter the atmosphere of a gas giant planet.
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