More on heavenly bodies...

[stephen55]

So that's what an asteroid looks like...

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/1108/vesta2_dawn_1024.jpg

This image taken by NASA's Dawn mission shows the asteroid Vesta, which is about 530 kilometers in diameter. It is the second largest asteroid in the group of asteroids orbiting between Mars and Jupiter. This image was taken when Dawn was about 5,200 kilometers away. During the mission it will move in as close as 177 kilometers.

Dawn will orbit Vesta for about one year before moving on to examine Ceres, which is the largest asteroid.

Of note, Dawn is powered by an ion engine as opposed to the more traditional rocket fueled engine.

http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/vesta_dawn_gallery.asp

 

[stephen55]

Heavenly body moving...

As the Asteroid Turns

http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/vesta_full_rotation_movie.asp

A great (compiled) video of Vesta in rotation.

Where did those grooves come from??

 

[3113]

Where did those grooves come from??

Look, I didn't know the neighborhood that well, and I was trying to find my way to Earth and I miscalculated certain distances and when I ought to turn (space navigation is a bitch even with google maps) and well, I kinda, sorta, sideswiped the asteroid

And yeah, I know, I should have left a note, but come on! I was fresh from Pluto and it just looked like another rock to me. How was I to know asteroids in this part of the solar system are seen as more than just big rocks?

 

[stephen55]

Interplanetary hit and run!!

Where's the Space Patrol when you need them?