Dawn Survey Orbit Phase, First orbital phase Options

[algorimancer]

Ring decay seems unlikely to explain most of the grooves, since many of them (especially the far-northern big ones) are not "great circles" and thus curve along the surface...

I agree, not all of the grooves are obviously due to ring decay. The most obvious candidates are the circum-equatorial grooves, though they seem to overlay grooves in different planes as well. The great-circle nature of the grooves will be easier to ascertain once a good 3D model of the surface is in hand. I suspect that a sufficiently "weird" gravity field may not necessarily prevent rings from forming, but would likely accelerate their decay.

I've been puzzled by the curving, non-great-circle grooves, and have had a difficult time explaining them. It occurs to me that if they are near the pole, and the ring decay is episodic, then they might be explainable in terms of a combination of the decay with rotation of Vesta. I can also envision a ring warped by interaction with a "weird" gravity field or satellite prior to impact as yielding these odd grooves. I really wish I had the resources to model this sort of thing :/

[t_oner]

With all this incredible photography, Vesta is going to be an excellent specimen for a foldable map.
Tayfun -- are you out there with your CADCAM machine still operable? How long until we have enough data (a "shape model" do they call it?) for you to carve one for me of this beast, er, lady?
Chuck

A model seems a few years away, why don't you try to transfer your methods into software environment.

[chuckclark]

A model seems a few years away, why don't you try to transfer your methods into software environment.

No way I can see to extract the constant scale, not to say that I haven't been trying to transfer my Renaissance-era methods into the software environment.
Although to be fair, I'm not very skillful with PDS shape models, and perhaps someone else could do it.

I guess we may have to wait a few years, although the Itokawa team sent me a model a while back. You don't suppose the Dawn team has any plans to manufacture a small run of Vesta models?
Chuck

[charborob]

A new image has been posted here. Are we supposed to expect regular image releases from now on?

[Stu]

You don't suppose the Dawn team has any plans to manufacture a small run of Vesta models?

Probably best not to hold your breath for that.

[ugordan]

A new image has been posted here.

Nice. This one appears to lack the resize and unsharp/high pass filtering of some of the recent press release images.

[Stefan]

Nice. This one appears to lack the resize and unsharp/high pass filtering of some of the recent press release images.

Nice you noticed! The image was created from the calibrated data product, and I try to alter it as little as possible. After all, y'all need something to do in your spare time.

[t_oner]

Probably best not to hold your breath for that.

Here is a first try from the rotation movie.

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[kap]

A new image has been posted here. Are we supposed to expect regular image releases from now on?

Anyone care to speculate on that long curved dark scar crossing a bunch of the left had side of the image? Re: regular images, Vesta is in survey orbit so it's probably taking way more pictures since the camera doesn't need to be turned away to thrust. Who knows if they will release more images just because they are capturing them.

-kap

[machi]

Wow, that's very nice first try

[Hungry4info]

Nice! I don't suppose that could be made available for download?

[Paolo]

A new image has been posted here.

Any idea of what we are looking at? northern or southern hemisphere? it would be nice if the release had some context, not just the picture...

[t_oner]

Nice! I don't suppose that could be made available for download?

First I will try some mapping, I don't know if it would be possible without image geometry data (maybe Phil could do it). I will upload it then.

[Hungry4info]

Any idea of what we are looking at?

Northern hemisphere. I recognise the shape of the scar at the top of the image. That darker curved mark is the same that was visible in one of the press release images.

[pablogm1024]

Northern hemisphere. I recognise the shape of the scar at the top of the image. That darker curved mark is the same that was visible in one of the press release images.

Let me correct you quickly the shadowed part on the top left is in the northern hemisphere, but the equator basically runs in diagonal from top left to bottom right. See the annotated image. I will keep helping you with the orientation until someone prepares a map that can help you all. In the meantime, try not to guess. As soon as I have a chance I will give you the orientation of the images.
Tayfun, your shape model is outstanding!

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