| Solar System Scratchpad |
The largest protoplanet in the asteroid belt, not big enough to be completely rounded and thus not a Dwarf Planet like Ceres. Brightest object in asteroid belt as seen from Earth. One of few asteroids to have a differentiated composition. Has basaltic lava flows on surface, very similar to that of Earth's Moon. Has a large crater that caused trenches to appear across its equator and only a partial rim due to its fast rotation. This impact over the south polar region could be responsible for the many members of the Vesta family in the solar system and the large amount of meteoroids that arrive at the Earth, where it is the source of 5% of its meteoroids. Orbits in inner asteroid belt, below the frost belt, and lacks water ice that further asteroids possess.
Vesta Places[]
- Snowman Crater - Triple crater on Vesta's surface that resembles a snowman.
- Large Vesta Crater - {{:Large Vesta Crater]]
Vesta In The News[]
Dawn Mission in the News[]
Dawn Prepares For Launch (Apr-May 2007)[]
http://www.flatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070517/NEWS02/705170330/1007/news02 http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/mar010507.xml&headline=Preparations%20Accelerate%20For%20Planetary%20Probes%20&channel=space http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/releases/2007/release-20070410.html
Year of the Solar System (Feb 2011)[]
Dawn Wakes Up (Mar 2011)[]
Dawn Reaches Approach Phase (Apr 2011)[]
- http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/may/HQ_11-133_Dawn_Approaching.html
- http://www.space.com/11467-vesta-asteroid-planet-debate-dawn-spacecraft.html
First Visual Contact (May 2011)[]
- http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/may/HQ_11-139_Dawn_Image.html
- http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/121728609.html
- http://news.discovery.com/space/nasa-asteroid-probe-spots-its-target-110512.html
- http://www.dlr.de/dlr/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10002/
- http://www.space.com/11634-nasa-spacecraft-asteroid-photo-vesta.html
- http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news/asd/2011/05/11/11.xml&headline=Dawn%20Probe%20Shifts%20To%20Approach%20Phase
- http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2069835,00.html
Vesta Rotation Video (Jun 2011)[]
- http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2011-06/13/dawn-approaches-vesta
- http://content.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/post/2011/06/dawn-closes-in-on-vesta/1
- http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2011-179
- http://www.space.com/11951-nasa-dawn-asteroid-vesta-video.html
- http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jun/HQ_11-182_Dawn_Video.html
- http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/06/13/6850076-asteroid-vesta-stars-in-video
- http://news.discovery.com/space/nasa-probe-closing-in-on-asteroid-vesta-110613.html
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13754423
- http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/nasa-s-dawn-approaches-vesta-207791.aspx
- http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jun/HQ_M11-126_Dawn_Visit.html
- http://www.dawn.mps.mpg.de/index.php?id=17&L=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=17&cHash=ab852516c85e0a28134131dda6ac1988
Dawn on Final Approach to Vesta (Jun 2011)[]
- http://www.voanews.com/english/news/science-technology/Dawn-Speeds-Toward-Asteroid-Rendezvous-124506059.html
- http://www.space.com/12065-osiris-rex-asteroid-generations.html
- http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-dawn-20110624,0,6421064.story
- http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2011/0623/NASA-s-Dawn-satellite-has-reached-the-asteroid-belt.-First-stop-Vesta
- http://www.space.com/12062-nasa-dawn-vesta-asteroid-update.html
- http://content.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/post/2011/06/nasa-briefing-details-dawns-vesta-visit/1
Earliest Decent Images (Jun 2011)[]
- http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20621-asteroid-protoplanet-may-hold-clues-to-earth-formation.html
- http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_18350221
Pre-Encounter Musings (Jul 2011)[]
- Also see Ceres
Will Search for Moons (Jul 2011)[]
Vesta Orbit Approaching (Jul 2011)[]
- http://www.scientificamerican.com/gallery_directory.cfm?photo_id=2E2E4239-B2D5-A18B-9FA2CF65D19433D2
- http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2011/0715/Dawn-arrives-at-Vesta-Will-scientists-find-a-water-coated-protoplanet
- http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/destination-asteroid-nasa-probe-arrives-at-ancient-mini-moon/2011/07/15/gIQAsOxdGI_story.html
- http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-07/nasa-probe-set-orbit-massive-asteroid-tonight
- http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/07/15/nasa.spacecraft.asteroid.orbit/
- http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/125649563.html
- http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20704-probes-targets-cloud-crystal-ball-for-solar-system.html
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14160135
- http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/07/vesta-asteroid-dawn-orbit/
- http://www.space.com/12290-asteroid-vesta-dawn-spacecraft-arrival-preview.html
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/jul/15/dawn-spacecraft-asteroid-vesta
- http://www.ocregister.com/news/asteroid-308372-dawn-orbit.html
- http://www.cfnews13.com/article/news/ap/july/279509/Dawn-craft-to-circle-giant-asteroid-in-1st-stop
- http://www.voanews.com/english/news/science-technology/US-Spacecraft-to-Rendezvous-with-Asteroid-125596493.html
- http://content.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/post/2011/07/dawn-set-to-orbit-vesta/1
- http://www.space.com/12286-vesta-asteroid-dawn-spacecraft-arrival-mase-interview.html
- http://www.space.com/12284-giant-asteroid-vesta-secrets-dawn-spacecraft.html
- http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jul/HQ_11-228_Dawn_Update.html
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14160135
- http://www.economist.com/node/18956114?story_id=18956114&fsrc=rss
- http://news.discovery.com/space/big-pic-nasa-dawn-asteroid-vesta-110714.html
- http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/15jul_dawn2/
First Close Up Images (Jul 2011)[]
- http://www.voanews.com/english/news/science-technology/NASA-Probe-Returns-First-Images-of-Asteroid-Vesta--125836778.html
- http://news.yahoo.com/nasa-spacecraft-orbiting-massive-asteroid-213732892.html
- http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/332541/title/Dawn_on_Vesta
- http://www.universetoday.com/87559/dawn-exceeds-wildest-expectations-as-first-ever-spacecraft-to-orbit-a-protoplant-vesta/
- http://www.space.com/12332-giant-asteroid-vesta-nasa-spacecraft-photos.html
- http://news.yahoo.com/nasa-spacecraft-orbiting-massive-asteroid-213732892.html
- http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/18jul_dawn4/
- http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/18/us-space-asteroid-idUSTRE76F0KI20110718
- http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jul/HQ_11-235_Dawn_Image.html
- http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/07/18/7106557-first-views-of-vesta-from-orbit?chromedomain=cosmiclog
- http://blog.chron.com/sciguy/2011/07/behold-first-close-up-image-of-vesta-revealed-today/
- http://www.wtop.com/?nid=904&sid=2459267
- http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/4527/nasas-dawn-enters-giant-asteroids-orbit
- http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1107/17dawn/
- http://www.space.com/12321-nasa-spacecraft-orbits-asteroid-vesta-space-success.html
- http://www.france24.com/en/20110717-us-spacecraft-enters-giant-asteroids-orbit
- http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/125649563.html
- http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/17/us-space-asteroid-idUSTRE76F0KI20110717
- http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jul/HQ_11-231_dawn.html
- http://news.discovery.com/space/dawn-enters-asteroid-vesta-orbit-110716.html
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/8642131/Nasa-probe-enters-orbit-around-potato-asteroid-Vesta-after-four-year-journey.html
- http://www.france24.com/en/20110716-us-spacecraft-be-pulled-giant-asteroids-orbit
- http://www.space.com/12306-dawn-vesta-asteroid-orbit-arrival.html
- http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/07/16/MN0J1K7KOI.DTL&type=science
- http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/16/us-space-asteroid-idUSTRE76F0KI20110716
Photoed as Vesta Rotates (Jul 2011)[]
- http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2011-221
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14249515
Vesta Orbital Insertion Achieved (Aug 2011)[]
First Full Frame Image Revealed (Aug 2011)[]
- http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/126603433.html
- http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2011-08/02/dawn-snaps-vesta
- http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/no-astronauts-but-we-re-orbiting-an-asteroid-pictures-20110801 - has videos
- http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2086415,00.html
- http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/08/02/MNQC1KHV0R.DTL&type=science
- http://blog.chron.com/sciguy/2011/08/nasa-releases-a-high-definition-view-of-vesta/
- http://www.ocregister.com/news/-310377--.html
- http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/08/science-shot-dawn-spies-a-messed.html?ref=hp
- http://news.yahoo.com/scientists-stunned-surface-asteroid-vesta-204550456.html
- http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/home/spacenews/files/4ac8a670fbd0c2dc1988930c37eb30b7-312.html
- http://www.space.com/12493-giant-asteroid-vesta-nasa-dawn-spacecraft-photos.html
- http://blogs.voanews.com/breaking-news/2011/08/01/first-close-up-pictures-of-asteroid-fascinate-and-baffle-us-experts/
- http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20753-dark-streaks-and-huge-grooves-vesta-up-close.html
- http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2011-235
- http://news.discovery.com/space/asteroid-vesta-unveiled-110801.html
- http://news.yahoo.com/dawn-spacecraft-gets-cozy-massive-asteroid-084906632.html
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14340230
- http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jul/HQ_M11-160_Dawn_Update.html - Photos to be revealed at news conference
- http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jul/HQ_M11-157_Dawn_Briefing.html - first full photo to be revealed
"Snowman" Triple Crater Imaged (Aug 2011)[]
First Science Orbit Begun (Aug 2011)[]
- http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/dr-david-whitehouse/a-new-world-is-uncovered_b_923088.html
- http://news.yahoo.com/nasa-probe-asteroid-begins-collecting-data-213409725.html
Large Crater Puzzle (Aug 2011)[]
- Giant crater only has wall for half its surface, probably due to Vesta's rapid rotation at time of crash. Troughs ring the equator of the body, unlike in any other.
Vesta Meteorite on Show at Ulster Museum[]
Vesta Becomes Visible to the Naked Eye (May 2007)[]
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-hssky125209723may12,0,4096477.story?coll=ny-health-print