HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGES OF VESTA AT 1.65 MU-M

A series of high spatial resolution (approximate 140 km) images of the asteroid 4 Vesta has been obtained in reflected light at 1.65 mum dur ing the solar oppositions of 1990 and 1992. Full longitudinal coverage has provided a solution for the triaxial dimensions and rotational po le orientation. Although resolvable surface features are indicated fro m other techniques, they are not imaged here and must have low contras t relative to the overall background of reflected light. However, in a ll 48 images, a nonmoving ''spot,'' a possible glint(s), does appear n ear the sub-Sun point contributing approximately 10-18% of the total f lux. This feature does not appear in similar observations of the aster oid 1 Ceres. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.