Take a Virtual, High-Resolution Tour of Vesta, NASA “An atlas of the giant asteroid Vesta, created from images taken as NASA’s Dawn mission flew around the object (also known as a protoplanet), is now accessible for the public to explore online. The set of maps was created from mosaics of 10,000 images taken by Dawn’s framing camera instrument at a low altitude of about 130 miles (210 kilometers).”

NASA’s Asteroid Photographer Beams Back Science Data, NASA “The Dawn spacecraft has completed a graceful spiral into the first of four planned science orbits during the spacecraft’s yearlong visit to Vesta. The spacecraft started taking detailed observations on Aug. 11 at 9:13 a.m. PDT (12:13 a.m. EDT), which marks the official start of the first science-collecting orbit phase at Vesta, also known as the survey orbit.”

NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft Begins Science Orbits of Vesta, NASA “NASA’s Dawn spacecraft, the first ever to orbit an object in the main asteroid belt, is spiraling towards its first of four intensive science orbits. That initial orbit of the rocky world Vesta begins Aug. 11, at an altitude of nearly 1,700 miles (2,700 kilometers) and will provide in-depth analysis of the asteroid. Vesta is the brightest object in the asteroid […]

NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft Enters Orbit Around Asteroid Vesta “NASA’s Dawn spacecraft on Saturday became the first probe ever to enter orbit around an object in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.” Keith’s note: The last image to be publicly released was taken on 9 July – more than a week ago. Yet Cassini, Opportunity, and other missions send back dozens of new images every day – images that […]

Dawn Spacecraft to Enter Orbit Around Asteroid Vesta on July 15 “On July 15, NASA’s Dawn spacecraft will begin a prolonged encounter with the asteroid Vesta, making the mission the first to enter orbit around a main-belt asteroid. The main asteroid belt lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Dawn will study Vesta for one year, and observations will help scientists understand the earliest chapter of our solar system’s […]

Dawn Nears Start of Year-Long Stay at Giant Asteroid Vesta NASA’s Dawn spacecraft is on track to begin the first extended visit to a large asteroid. The mission expects to go into orbit around Vesta on July 16 and begin gathering science data in early August. Vesta resides in the main asteroid belt and is thought to be the source of a large number of meteorites that fall to Earth.

Vesta’s Surface Comes into View, NASA “This movie shows surface details beginning to resolve as NASA’s Dawn spacecraft closes in on the giant asteroid Vesta. The framing camera aboard NASA’s Dawn spacecraft obtained the images used for this animation on June 1, 2011, from a distance of about 300,000 miles (483,000 kilometers).” — NASA Spacecraft Captures Video of Asteroid Approach, NASA JPL

Keith’s 3 June note: Ever wonder why those Dawn approach images are so few and far between? After a series of frustrating emails with NASA HQ SMD PAO all I can get is “We may be able to release some time in June. Working with JPL to get an exact date.”. At least NASA HQ PAO responds. JPL PAO and project staff simply refuse to reply to formal requests/inquires. What […]

A Look into Vesta’s Interior “Researchers from the University of North Dakota and from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Germany have discovered a new kind of asteroid using NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The mineralogical composition of 1999 TA10 suggests that unlike many other asteroids it did not originate from the outer rocky crust of its parent asteroid Vesta, but from deeper layers. […]

New NASA HD App for iPad With Expanded Content Available Free “The app’s landing page features the solar system, where users can learn more about our neighborhood, the universe and NASA missions. The app also enables users to experience and search updated, higher resolution NASA Image of the Day and Astronomy Picture of the Day collections and agency videos on demand.” Keith’s note: What’s missing from this picture on this […]