Vesta's Weird Crater

As the Dawn probe has gathered information on Vesta, several things have become apparent. Something happened that rendered the bottom of Vesta totally flat, even though it's large enough for gravity to press it into a sphere. The crater is unlike anything seen before in the solar system and scientists have yet to determine a cause. There are also questions about whether Vesta demonstrates evidence of past volcanism. Luckily more information will be forthcoming as Dawn will get closer in the coming months.

http://www.irishweatheronline.com/news/space/asteroids/the-canyons-valleys-and-mountains-of-asteroid-vesta/38220.html

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/09/17/vestas-odd-bottom/

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.