Dawn approaches Vesta, Approach phase, 3 May to 16 July 2011 Options

[Phil Stooke]

Don't forget the phase angles - HST images show a small phase angle (that's a measure of how much is in shadow - small phase angle = nearly a fully illuminated phase), Dawn is showing a larger one. If you think of this face of Vesta with a chunk on the left side in shadow, you'll get a better idea of its true shape.

Phil

[nprev]

And by "bumpy" I mean large observable orbit perturbations caused by unevenly distributed mass.

Yeah, no doubt. I was thinking that south polar passes might be particularly interesting; not sure if that honkin' big crater left just a divot, or also deposited an equally honkin' big mascon. (Might be a major clue about the nature of the impactor, as well as its impact velocity.)

[ElkGroveDan]

I's say it was completely shattered by that impact and reassembled over time.

[Phil Stooke]

If it was shattered and reassembled there would not be a south polar crater!

Phil

[ElkGroveDan]

I'd say it was NEARLY completely shattered by that impact and reassembled over time.

[Phil Stooke]

Nice recovery!

Phil

[Greg Hullender]

I took a look at the Dawn Mission's simulated view of Vesta: http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/orbits/fullview4.jpg

Even at just 130,000 miles away, it still doesn't look like anything special. In hindsight, I guess it would have been nice if they had a simulated view through the framing camera. This slow-motion approach is really a different experience in a lot of ways.

[Juramike]

My guess of a comparision between a still image from the Hubble rotation movie (PIA13427) and the June 14 image:



If so, then just about to come into rotation is that big dark crease.

(I still think this looks like a really big echinoid. It'll be nice to see craters and other distinguishing features for orientation.)

[elakdawalla]

It's not only the slow approach that makes this one strange, it's the sheer size of Vesta. For any of the other asteroids we've ever seen, Dawn would still be looking at pretty much just a point of light right now.

(Of course, if we were visiting a smaller asteroid, the FC would probably have been designed with a narrower FOV, but hopefully you get my point...)

[tek_604]

I just want to point out that it's really bizarre that this photo, from a JPL mission, has been released on the imaging team's website but is nowhere to be found on the Dawn mission site or in Photojournal. JPL is usually so together and organized, everything shows up everywhere nearly simultaneously, so this is really anomalous. However it got out, I'm very happy! There's still not a lot to see, just enough to see that there's a lot more to be seen....

As I understand things, this is because the agreement is that we (the MPS FC Team) can release an image, and JPL can release their choice of an image. To be honest, I can't remember if they are the same image, just processed differently, or if they are two different images. The processing differs between the two teams. We're better, obviously

Either way, gives you guys two images a week, rather than one, so stop complaining

[Greg Hullender]

. . . so stop complaining

That'll be the day! But we do like the camera.

--Greg :-)

[ElkGroveDan]

so stop complaining

How about if they are ALL released like MER, Cassini and Phoenix. There'll be no complaints then

[belleraphon1]

NASA Hosts Briefing To Preview Spacecraft Visit Of Large Asteroid

NASA will host a news briefing at 2 p.m. EDT on Thursday, June 23, to discuss the Dawn spacecraft's year-long visit to the large asteroid Vesta.
NASA Television and the agency's website will broadcast the event.

http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jun/H...Dawn_Visit.html

Craig

[Explorer1]

That's as good an opportunity as any to show some new images. Will be tuning in...

[Stu]

With the greatest of respect - and I do appreciate there are challenges and problems for the DAWN Outreach team to tackle - I just can't get all woo-hooey over the prospect of two images a week, not when I can go to the MER or CASSINI sites and see dozens of new images each day. That's the way things are done now. You need to join the rest of us in 2011!

If any of the DAWN team are looking in (and I know you're busy guys, seriously) can I suggest you wander over to the following thread:

http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=6990

...and see what people can do when you release your images? We're not just asking because we're greedy and impatient, or because we feel we have some god-given right to them. We can use them to create just *incredible* portraits, and movies, and visions, which you yourselves can use, which people Out There will see and think "Wow! That's amazing!!" and get excited about the spacecraft and the team that took them. It's a no-brainer, really it is.

I'm confident we'll see some more images at the media event too, Dan; it would be a perfect opportunity to amaze everyone!