Flyaround video of Vesta as seen from low orbit by Dawn

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the "Flyaround" video of the asteroid Vesta as captured by the Dawn spacecraft, with participants expressing interest in the mineral value of Vesta and comparing it to Ceres, a dwarf planet. The conversation touches on aspects of planetary science, mineralogy, and the future trajectory of the Dawn mission.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Debate/contested, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express curiosity about the mineral value of Vesta.
  • One participant argues that Ceres is more valuable due to its larger size and the presence of a water-ice outer mantle.
  • Another participant notes the upcoming transition of the Dawn spacecraft from Vesta to Ceres, highlighting the mission's timeline.
  • A participant questions whether the light material observed in images of Vesta could be water ice, suggesting a potential connection to Ceres' characteristics.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the relative value of Vesta and Ceres, with no consensus reached on the mineral value of Vesta or the nature of the materials observed in its images.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the mineral composition of Vesta and Ceres remain unverified, and the discussion includes references to external articles that may not provide complete context.

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Marcus, thanks for posting the link.
 


Wonder what the mineral value of Vesta is.
 


Radrook said:
Wonder what the mineral value of Vesta is.

Are you kidding? the real prize is CERES which is twice the diameter and is estimated to have a water-ice outer mantle. Although in the asteroid belt, Ceres is classified as a (dwarf) planet.

As I expect you know, the Dawn spacecraft is scheduled to switch on its ion drive and spiral out from Vesta in about 12 months from now, so it can move over to Ceres.
 



Marcus, an absolutely fantastic video link!, thanks.

High resolution images similar to this of the dwarf planet Ceres would be absolutely awesome!
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marcus said:
...the real prize is CERES which is twice the diameter and is estimated to have a water-ice outer mantle.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17481911

I noticed the photo of light and dark material in a photo of Vesta in this article. Is there any reason why the light material couldn't be water ice?

Respectfully submitted,
Steve
 

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