Dawn Survey Orbit Phase, First orbital phase Options

[algorimancer]

Any word yet on a detected magnetic field for Vesta? If present (and strong enough) it could have interesting effects on metallic or ionized ejecta as well as surface aging by solar ions, as seen on a few locations on the Moon.

[Adam Hurcewicz]

Hi, I'm stich images into Spherical panorama. Only North is black.

Adam




and this funny version of stich

[Phil Stooke]

Very nice, Adam!

Algorimancer - there is no magnetometer on Dawn. It had to be removed due to mass limitations earlier in the design phase.

Phil

[Tayfun Öner]

Adam wov! The funny version is really nice.

[alan]

A question: is the central peak of the south polar basin at the south pole or offset from it?

[pablogm1024]

Here's my interpretation of the rotation movie. (Thanks Emily for the frames!) The frame rate interpolation isn't as smooth as Tayfun's, unfortunately:

http://youtu.be/zig5pu3jb1U?hd=1

The de-rotation of the image to a constant north-up orientation is very nice. Perhaps you could give Tayfun the de-rotated frames for him to produce a super-dooper soft-rotating north-up movie!

[chuckclark]

Here is a first try from the rotation movie.

Tayfun -- is this something more than just pixels on the screen? That is, is it something you can make a physical object from?

Chuck

[belleraphon1]

Any word yet on a detected magnetic field for Vesta? If present (and strong enough) it could have interesting effects on metallic or ionized ejecta as well as surface aging by solar ions, as seen on a few locations on the Moon.

I believe the magnetometer was removed for budget reasons. A loss for science for reasons you noted.

Craig

[Tayfun Öner]

Tayfun -- is this something more than just pixels on the screen? That is, is it something you can make a physical object from?

Chuck

It is a detailed 3D model, only a small area near the north pole (where there is no photographic data) is missing.

[Paolo]

I believe the magnetometer was removed for budget reasons.

from a Nature article on the mission:

Before launch, budget issues caused the mission team to drop two instruments originally meant to fly aboard Dawn; one of them, a magnetometer, will be especially mourned once the craft reaches Ceres. The magnetometer could have looked for fluctuations in the strength of the asteroid's magnetic field that might have provided clues as to whether the body harbours a briny ocean. Losing the instrument "was a big blow",

[chuckclark]

It is a detailed 3D model, only a small area near the north pole (where there is no photographic data) is missing.

So presumably, if all systems continue moving along smoothly, that missing info will fill in pretty quickly?

And what is needed for you to locate poles, equator, and the rest of a lat-long grid?

Chuck

[Ian R]

The de-rotation of the image to a constant north-up orientation is very nice. Perhaps you could give Tayfun the de-rotated frames for him to produce a super-dooper soft-rotating north-up movie!

I've had a second crack at smoothing the rotated movie, and it's looking much better:

http://youtu.be/eBHgcTxhG-Y?hd=1

[Gsnorgathon]

So presumably, if all systems continue moving along smoothly, that missing info will fill in pretty quickly?
...

We'll have to wait for northern spring to fill in that missing data. (Anyone know when the Vestian equinox is?)

[Floyd]

An orbit is 1325 days. So solstice to equinox is 331 days. I assume we are past solstice and going toward equinox--and therefore less than 331 days, but I'm only a microbiologist.

[ElkGroveDan]

Before launch, budget issues caused the mission team to drop two instruments originally meant to fly aboard Dawn; one of them, a magnetometer, will be especially mourned once the craft reaches Ceres.

It's really too bad. I can't imagine how a magnetometer would represent a large cost component. It's not a complicated device. There's probably a magnetometer app available for my Droid.