Astronomy Picture of the Day

A Map of Asteroid Vesta


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zorg.ch
#91773 by @ 21.08.2006 00:00 - nach oben -
A Map of Asteroid Vesta


Explanation:
Vesta is a huge rock 500 kilometers across that orbits out past
Mars.

In 1997, the
above map of
Vesta created using the
Hubble Space Telescope
was released showing a rugged surface highlighted by a
single crater spanning nearly the entire length of the
asteroid.

The large crater dominates the lower part of the
above false-color conglomerate image: blue indicates low terrain,
while red indicates raised terrain.

Evidence indicates that
Vesta underwent a tremendous splintering collision about a billion years ago.

In October 1960, a small chunk of this rock believed to have originated on Vesta fell to
Earth and was recovered in
Australia.

Vesta is considered by some to be a candidate for
reclassification into a planet.




Credit & Copyright
zorg.ch
#91775 by @ 21.08.2006 10:59 - nach oben -
da isch doch usem plasma pong