Dawn and Vesta

We started this blog at an interesting time in relation to major asteroid news. Yesterday Dawn, a NASA probe, hopefully began orbiting Vesta.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43777165/ns/technology_and_science-space/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/destination-asteroid-nasa-probe-arrives-at-ancient-mini-moon/2011/07/15/gIQAsOxdGI_story.html

Vesta is interesting because of what it could reveal about the origins of the solar system and our planet. Had Vesta not been affected by Jupiter's gravity sometime after its formation, we would have another planet in our solar system instead of the largest asteroid in the asteroid belt.