Stardust-NExT Flyby

I got these images of the Stardust-NExT spacecraft as it approached Earth for a close flyby 2009 JAN 14 between 0514-0547 Universal Time. Paramount ME, C-14 and ST-10XME CCD camera binned 3x3, -10, clear filter. 10 second exposures spaced 52 seconds apart. At the time the images were taken, the 1.7 meter long spacecraft was about 35,000 kilometers away. Animation provided by Kurt Fisher of Salt Lake City, Utah. Larger version at:
http://www.sdnext.org/multimedia/ega_images2.html