4 Vesta (ves'-ta) is the second most massive asteroid in the asteroid belt, with a mean diameter of about 530 km and an estimated mass 12% the mass of the entire asteroid belt. Its size and unusually bright surface make Vesta the brightest asteroid, and the only one ever visible to the naked eye from Earth, apart from 1 Ceres under exceptional viewing conditions. Due to the availability of rock samples in the form of the HED meteorites, it has also been the most studied.
Image File history File links 4_Vesta_(0). ... Categories: Astronomers stubs | 1758 births | 1840 deaths | German astronomers | German physicists | Lists of asteroids ... March 29 is the 88th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (89th in Leap years). ... 1807 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The provisional designation of comets and asteroids are similar to each other: they both follow a pattern set in 1925 by the Minor Planet Center of the IAU. Historical designations At first, astronomers strove to assign symbols to the minor planets: 1 Ceres a stylized sickle 2 Pallas a lozenge... Minor planets, or planetoids are minor bodies of the Solar system orbiting the Sun (or of other planetary systems orbiting other stars) that are larger than meteoroids (the largest of which might be taken to be around 10 meters or so across) but smaller than major planets (Mercury having a... The asteroid belt is a region of the solar system falling roughly between the planets Mars and Jupiter where the greatest concentration of asteroid orbits can be found. ... Vesta family is a family of asteroids that are believed to have originated from asteroid 4 Vesta. ... In astronomy, an epoch is a moment in time for which celestial coordinates or orbital elements are specified. ... November 26 is the 330th day (331st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Julian day or Julian day number (JDN) is the number of days that have elapsed since 12 noon Greenwich Mean Time (UT or TT) on Monday, January 1, 4713 BC (in the proleptic Julian calendar; or November 24, 4714 BC in the proleptic Gregorian calendar). ... In astrodynamics, under standard assumptions any orbit must be of conic section shape. ... In geometry, the semi-major axis (also semimajor axis) a applies to ellipses and hyperbolas. ... Giga (symbol: G) is a prefix in the SI system of units denoting 109, or 1 000 000 000. ... The metre (Commonwealth English) or meter (American English) (symbol: m) is the SI base unit of length. ... The astronomical unit (AU or au or a. ... This article is about several astronomical terms (apogee & perigee, aphelion & perihelion, generic equivalents based on apsis, and related but rarer terms. ... This article is about several astronomical terms (apogee & perigee, aphelion & perihelion, generic equivalents based on apsis, and related but rarer terms. ... The orbital period is the time it takes a planet (or another object) to make one full orbit. ... See also Day (language) A day (symbol: d) is a unit of time. ... In astronomy, a Julian year is a unit of time defined as exactly 365. ... The orbital speed of a body, generally a planet, a natural satellite, an artificial satellite, or a multiple star, is the speed at which it orbits around the barycenter of a system, usually around a more massive body. ... Kilo (symbol: k) is a prefix in the SI system denoting 103 or 1000. ... Look up Second in Wiktionary, the free dictionary The second (symbol: s) is the SI base unit of time. ... Inclination is one of the six orbital parameters describing the shape and orientation of a celestial orbit and is the angular distance of the orbital plane from the plane of the reference (usually planets equator or the ecliptic), stated in degrees. ... A degree (in full, a degree of arc, arc degree, or arcdegree), usually symbolized °, is a measurement of plane angle, representing 1／360 of a full rotation. ... The Longitude of the ascending node () is one of the orbital elements used to specify the orbit of an object in space. ... The argument of the perihelion is one of the orbital elements describing the orbit of a planet. ... In the study of orbital dynamics the mean anomaly is a measure of time, specific to the orbiting body p, which is a multiple of 2π radians at and only at periapsis. ... For the majority of numbered asteroids, almost nothing is known apart from a few physical parameters. ... Mass is a property of physical objects that, roughly speaking, measures the amount of matter they contain. ... The international prototype, made of platinum-iridium, which is kept at the BIPM under conditions specified by the 1st CGPM in 1889. ... Density (symbol: ρ - Greek: rho) is a measure of mass per unit of volume. ... A cubic centimetre (cm3) is an SI derived unit of volume, equal to the volume of a cube with side length of 1 centi metre. ... Gravity is the force of attraction between massive particles. ... In physics, for a given gravitational field and a given position, the escape velocity is the minimum speed an object without propulsion, at that position, needs to have to move away indefinitely from the source of the field, as opposed to falling back or staying in an orbit within a... In astronomy, a rotation period is the time an astronomical object takes to complete one revolution around its rotation axis. ... Asteroids are assigned a type based on spectral shape, color, and sometimes albedo. ... The V-type asteroids or Vestoids are moderately bright, and very similar to the more common S-type, which are also made up of stony irons and ordinary chondrites. ... In astronomy, absolute magnitude is the apparent magnitude, m, an object would have if it were at a standardized distance away. ... The albedo is a measure of reflectivity of a surface or body. ... Temperature is the physical property of a system which underlies the common notions of hot and cold; the material with the higher temperature is said to be hotter. ... The kelvin (symbol: K) is the SI unit of temperature, and is one of the seven SI base units. ... The kelvin (symbol: K) is the SI unit of temperature, and is one of the seven SI base units. ... An asteroid is a small, solid object in our Solar System, orbiting the Sun. ... Image of the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. ... For the geometric term, see diameter. ... A kilometre (American spelling: kilometer), symbol: km is a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1000 metres (from the Greek words χίλια (khilia) = thousand and μέτρο (metro) = count/measure). ... Earth, also known as Terra, and (mostly in the 19th century) Tellus, is the third-closest planet to the Sun. ... 1 Ceres (, Latin CerÄ“s) was the first asteroid to be discovered. ... The Johnstown Diogenite. ...

Discovery

Size comparison: the first 10 asteroids profiled against Earth's Moon. Vesta is fourth from the left.

Vesta was discovered by the German astronomer Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers on March 29, 1807. He allowed the prominent mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss to name the asteroid after the Roman virgin goddess of home and hearth, Vesta. Image File history File links The first 10 asteroids profiled against the Earths Moon. ... Image File history File links The first 10 asteroids profiled against the Earths Moon. ... Crust composition Oxygen 43% Silicon 21% Aluminium 10% Calcium 9% Iron 9% Magnesium 5% Titanium 2% Nickel 0. ... An astronomer or astrophysicist is a scientist whose area of research is astronomy or astrophysics. ... Categories: Astronomers stubs | 1758 births | 1840 deaths | German astronomers | German physicists | Lists of asteroids ... March 29 is the 88th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (89th in Leap years). ... 1807 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... This article is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Carl Friedrich Gauss (Gauß) (April 30, 1777 – February 23, 1855) was a German mathematician and scientist of profound genius who contributed significantly to many fields, including number theory, analysis, differential geometry, geodesy, magnetism, astronomy and optics. ... Roman mythology, the mythological beliefs of the people of Ancient Rome, can be considered as having two parts. ... Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture A goddess is a female deity, in contrast with a male deity known as a god. A great many cultures have goddesses, sometimes alone, but more often as part of a larger pantheon that includes both of the conventional genders and in some cases... Vesta was the virgin goddess of the hearth, home, and family in Roman mythology, analogous to Hestia in Greek mythology. ...

After the discovery of Vesta in 1807, no further asteroids were discovered for 38 years. During this time the four known asteroids were counted among the planets, and each had its own planetary symbol.

4 Vesta seen by the Hubble Space Telescope in May 1996 from 177 Gm

Image File history File links Vesta-HST.jpg Description: A NASA Hubble Space Telescope image of the asteroid Vesta, taken in May 1996 when the asteroid was 175 million kilometers from Earth. ... Image File history File links Vesta-HST.jpg Description: A NASA Hubble Space Telescope image of the asteroid Vesta, taken in May 1996 when the asteroid was 175 million kilometers from Earth. ... The Hubble Space Telescope is a telescope in orbit around the Earth. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ...

Physical characteristics

Vesta is the second-largest asteroid, and the largest in the Inner Main Belt, which lies interior to the Kirkwood gap at 2.50 AU. It is similar to 2 Pallas in volume (to within uncertainty), but significantly more massive. Vesta's shape appears to be that of a gravitationally relaxed equilibrium oblate spheroid, or "planetary body" ^[5]. An asteroid is a small, solid object in our Solar System, orbiting the Sun. ... Kirkwood gaps are gaps that appear in a graph if we classify the asteroids according to their periods, which is proportional to their mean radius from the Sun. ... 2 Pallas (pal-us, Greek Παλλάς) was the first asteroid discovered after 1 Ceres. ... Oblate also refers to a member of the Roman Catholic religious order of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, or in some cases to a lay or religious person who has officially associated himself (or herself) with a monastic community such as the Benedictines for reasons of personal enrichment without...

Its rotation is very fast for an asteroid (having a 5.342 hour day) and prograde, with the north pole pointing in the direction of right ascension 20 h 32 min, declination +48° with an uncertainty of about 10°. This gives an axial tilt of 29° ^[5]. This article is about retrograde motion. ... Right ascension (RA; symbol α: Greek letter alpha; celestial longitude) is the astronomical term for one of the two coordinates of a point on the celestial sphere when using the equatorial coordinate system. ... In astronomy, declination (dec) is one of the two coordinates of the equatorial coordinate system, the other being either right ascension or hour angle. ... Axial tilt is an astronomical term regarding the inclination angle of a planets rotational axis in relation to its orbital plane. ...

Temperatures on the surface have been estimated to lie between about -20°C with the Sun overhead, dropping to about -190°C at the winter pole. Typical day-time and night-time temperatures are -60°C and -130°C, respectively. This estimate is for May 6, 1996, and details may vary somewhat with seasons ^[3]. The degree Celsius (°C) is a unit of temperature named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius (1701–1744), who first proposed a similar system in 1742. ... The Sun (or Sol) is the star at the center of our Solar system. ... The degree Celsius (°C) is a unit of temperature named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius (1701–1744), who first proposed a similar system in 1742. ... The degree Celsius (°C) is a unit of temperature named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius (1701–1744), who first proposed a similar system in 1742. ... The degree Celsius (°C) is a unit of temperature named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius (1701–1744), who first proposed a similar system in 1742. ... May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ...

Geology

For Vesta, uniquely among all the asteroids, there is a large collection of samples accessible to scientists, in the form of over 200 HED meteorites. This has allowed insight into Vesta's geologic history and structure. The Johnstown Diogenite. ...

Vesta is thought to consist of a metallic iron-nickel core, an overlying rocky olivine mantle, with a surface crust. From the first appearance of Ca-Al-rich inclusions (the first solid matter in the Solar System, forming about 4570 million years ago), a likely timeline is as follows ^[6][7][8]: Hot metal work from a blacksmith In chemistry, a metal (Greek: Metallon) is an element that readily forms ions (cations) and has metallic bonds, and metals are sometimes described as a lattice of positive ions (cations) in a cloud of electrons. ... General Name, Symbol, Number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Atomic mass 55. ... General Name, Symbol, Number nickel, Ni, 28 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 10, 4, d Appearance lustrous, metallic Atomic mass 58. ... The planetary core consists of the innermost layers of a planet. ... Olivine The mineral olivine is a magnesium iron silicate with the formula (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 in which the ratio of magnesium and iron varies between the two endmembers of the series: forsterite (Mg-rich) and fayalite (Fe-rich). ... Earth cutaway from core to exosphere. ... Earth cutaway from core to exosphere. ... Ca-Al-rich inclusions (CAIs) are centimeter sized light-coloured inclusions found in carbonaceous chondrites. ... Presentation of the solar system (not to scale) The solar system comprises our Sun and the retinue of celestial objects gravitationally bound to it. ...

• accretion completed after about 2-3 million years.
• Complete or almost complete melting due to radioactive decay of ²⁶Al, leading to separation of the metal core at about 4-5 million years.
• Progressive crystallization of a convecting molten mantle. Convection stopped when about 80% of the material had crystallized, at about 6-7 million years.
• Extrusion of the remaining molten material to form the crust. Either as basaltic lavas in progressive eruptions, or possibly forming a short-lived magma ocean.
• The deeper layers of the crust crystallize to form plutonic rocks, while older basalts are metamorphosed due to the pressure of newer surface layers.
• Slow cooling of the interior.

Elevation diagram of 4 Vesta viewed from the south-east, showing the south pole crater. As determined from Hubble Space Telescope images of May 1996.

Vesta is the only intact asteroid that has been resurfaced in this manner, and thus the only one to have undergone planetary differentiation. However, the presence of iron meteorites and achondritic meteorite classes without identified parent bodies indicates that there once were other differentiated planetesimals with igneous histories, which have since been shattered by impacts. See also: Accretion (finance) Accretion is increase in size by gradual addition of smaller parts. ... Radioactive decay is the set of various processes by which unstable atomic nuclei (nuclides) emit subatomic particles (radiation). ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Convection is the transfer of heat by currents within a fluid. ... Earth cutaway from core to exosphere. ... Extrusive refers to a mode of igneous rock formation, in which hot magma from inside the Earth flows out (extrudes) onto the surface. ... Earth cutaway from core to exosphere. ... Basalt Basalt is an extrusive igneous rock, sometimes porphyritic, and is often both fine-grained and dense. ... Look up Lava, ‘A‘a, or Pāhoehoe in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Lava is molten rock that a volcano expels during an eruption. ... Eruption can refer to: Volcanic eruption The eruption of teeth through the gum Eruption (band) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Magma is molten rock often located inside a magma chamber beneath the surface of the Earth. ... Crystal (disambiguation) Insulin crystals A crystal is a solid in which the constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are packed in a regularly ordered, repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions. ... In geology an intrusion is usually a body of igneous rock that has crystallized from a molten magma below the surface of the Earth. ... Basalt Basalt is an extrusive igneous rock, sometimes porphyritic, and is often both fine-grained and dense. ... Metamorphic rock is the result of the transformation of a pre-existing rock type, the protolith, in a process called metamorphism, which means change in form (from the Greek words meta, change, and morphe, form). The protolith is subjected to extreme heat (greater than 150 degrees Celsius) and pressure causing... Image File history File links Vesta_elevation_HST1996. ... Image File history File links Vesta_elevation_HST1996. ... The Hubble Space Telescope is a telescope in orbit around the Earth. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... In cosmogony, planetary differentiation is a process by which the denser portions of a planet will sink to the center; while less dense materials rise to the surface. ... Iron meteorites consist overwhelmingly of nickel-iron alloys. ... An Achondrite is a stony meteorite that is made of material similar to terrestrial basalts. ... ÈàÌàìòòIn cosmogony, planetesimals are objects thought to exist within solar nebulae. ... Igneous rocks are formed when molten rock (magma) cools and solidifies, with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive (plutonic) rocks or on the surface as extrusive (volcanic) rocks. ...

Vesta's crust is reasoned to consist of (in order of increasing depth) ^[9]:

• A lithified regolith, the source of howardites and brecciated eucrites.
• Basaltic lava flows, a source of non-cumulate eucrites).
• Plutonic rocks consisting of pyroxene, pigeonite and plagioclase, the source of cumulate eucrites.
• Plutonic rocks rich in orthopyroxene with large grain sizes, the source of diogenites.

On the basis of the sizes of V-type asteroids (thought to be pieces of Vesta's crust ejected during large impacts), and the depth of the south polar crater (see below), the crust is thought to be roughly 10 km thick. Lithification, from the Greek word lithos meaning rock, is the process whereby sediments compact under pressure, expel connate fluids, and gradually become solid rock. ... Regolith is a layer of loose, heterogeneous material covering solid rock. ... QUE94200 a Howardite about 5 cm across, found in the Queen Alexandra Range in Antarctica. ... Breccia, derived from the Latin word for broken, is a sedimentary rock composed of angular fragments in a matrix that may be of a similar or a different material. ... The Ibitira Eucrite, a non-cumulate non-brecciated eucrite of the Stannern trend. ... Basalt Basalt is an extrusive igneous rock, sometimes porphyritic, and is often both fine-grained and dense. ... In computer programming jargon, lava flow is a problem in which computer code, usually written under less than optimal conditions, is put into production and then built on when still in a developmental state. ... The Ibitira Eucrite, a non-cumulate non-brecciated eucrite of the Stannern trend. ... Figure 1:Mantle-peridotite xenolith with green peridot olivine and black pyroxene crystals from San Carlos Indian Reservation, Gila Co. ... Plagioclase feldspar Plagioclase feldspars are a very important group of igneous rock forming tectosilicate minerals. ... The Ibitira Eucrite, a non-cumulate non-brecciated eucrite of the Stannern trend. ... Figure 1:Mantle-peridotite xenolith with green peridot olivine and black pyroxene crystals from San Carlos Indian Reservation, Gila Co. ... The Johnstown Diogenite. ... The V-type asteroids or Vestoids are moderately bright, and very similar to the more common S-type, which are also made up of stony irons and ordinary chondrites. ... A kilometre (American spelling: kilometer) (symbol: km) is a unit of length equal to 1000 metres (from the Greek words khilia = thousand and metro = count/measure). ...

Surface features

Elevation map of 4 Vesta, as determined from Hubble Space Telescope images of May 1996.

Some Vestian surface features have been resolved using the Hubble Space Telescope and ground based telescopes, e.g. the Keck Telescope. Image File history File links Vesta_elevation_map_HST1996. ... Image File history File links Vesta_elevation_map_HST1996. ... The Hubble Space Telescope is a telescope in orbit around the Earth. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... The Hubble Space Telescope is a telescope in orbit around the Earth. ... The Mauna Kea Observatory, an institute of the University of Hawaii, is considered one of the most important land-based observatories in the world for its isolated, unobstructed views of space without interference from man-made light sources. ...

The most prominent surface feature is an enormous crater 460 km in diameter centered near the south pole ^[5]. Its width is 80% of the entire diameter of Vesta. The floor of this crater is about 13 km below, and its rim rises 4-12 km above the surrounding terrain, with total surface relief of about 25 km. A central peak rises 18 km above the crater floor. It is estimated that the impact responsible excavated about 1% of the entire volume of Vesta, and it is likely that the Vesta family and V-type asteroids are the products of this collision. If this is the case, then the fact that 10 km fragments of the Vesta family and V-type asteroids have survived bombardment until the present indicates that the crater is only about 1 billion years old or younger ^[10]. It would also be the original site of origin of the HED meteorites. In fact, all the known V-type asteroids taken together account for only about 6% of the ejected volume, with the rest presumably either in small fragments, ejected by approaching the 3:1 Kirkwood gap, or perturbed away by the Yarkovsky effect or radiation pressure. Spectroscopic analyses of the Hubble images ^[10] have shown that this crater has penetrated deep through several distinct layers of the crust, and possibly into the mantle which is indicated by spectral signatures of olivine. Interestingly Vesta was not disrupted nor resurfaced by an impact of this magnitude. A kilometre (American spelling: kilometer) (symbol: km) is a unit of length equal to 1000 metres (from the Greek words khilia = thousand and metro = count/measure). ... Vesta family is a family of asteroids that are believed to have originated from asteroid 4 Vesta. ... The V-type asteroids or Vestoids are moderately bright, and very similar to the more common S-type, which are also made up of stony irons and ordinary chondrites. ... Vesta family is a family of asteroids that are believed to have originated from asteroid 4 Vesta. ... The V-type asteroids or Vestoids are moderately bright, and very similar to the more common S-type, which are also made up of stony irons and ordinary chondrites. ... The Johnstown Diogenite. ... The V-type asteroids or Vestoids are moderately bright, and very similar to the more common S-type, which are also made up of stony irons and ordinary chondrites. ... Kirkwood gaps are gaps that appear in a graph if we classify the asteroids according to their periods, which is proportional to their mean radius from the Sun. ... In physics, the Yarkovsky effect is a force felt by a body caused by the momentum carried away by the thermal photons that it emits. ... Radiation pressure is the pressure exerted upon any surface exposed to electromagnetic radiation. ... Extremely high resolution spectrum of the Sun showing thousands of elemental absorption lines (fraunhofer lines) Spectroscopy is the study of spectra, that is, the dependence of physical quantities on frequency. ... The Hubble Space Telescope is a telescope in orbit around the Earth. ... Earth cutaway from core to exosphere. ... Olivine The mineral olivine is a magnesium iron silicate with the formula (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 in which the ratio of magnesium and iron varies between the two endmembers of the series: forsterite (Mg-rich) and fayalite (Fe-rich). ...

Spectral and albedo maps of 4 Vesta, as determined from Hubble Space Telescope images from November 1994.

Several other large craters about 150 km wide and 7 km deep are also present. A dark albedo feature about 200 km across has been named Olbers in honour of Vesta's discoverer, but it does not appear in elevation maps as a fresh crater would, and its nature is presently unknown, perhaps an old basaltic surface^[11]. It serves as a reference point with the 0° longitude prime meridian defined to pass through its center. Image File history File links Vesta_spectral_map_HST1994. ... Image File history File links Vesta_spectral_map_HST1994. ... The albedo is a measure of reflectivity of a surface or body. ... The Hubble Space Telescope is a telescope in orbit around the Earth. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... The albedo is a measure of reflectivity of a surface or body. ... Basic Definition In geography, the elevation of a geographic location is its height above mean sea level (or some other fixed point). ... Basalt Basalt is an extrusive igneous rock, sometimes porphyritic, and is often both fine-grained and dense. ... Map of Earth showing lines of longitude, which appear curved and vertical in this projection, but are actually halves of great circles Longitude, sometimes denoted by the Greek letter λ, describes the location of a place on Earth east or west of a north-south line called the Prime Meridian. ... The Prime Meridian, Greenwich The Prime Meridian is the meridian (line of longitude) passing through the Royal Greenwich Observatory, Greenwich, England; it is the meridian at which longitude is 0 degrees. ...

The eastern and western hemispheres show markedly different terrains. From preliminary spectral analyses of the Hubble Space Telescope images ^[10], the eastern hemisphere appears to be some kind of high albedo, heavily cratered "highland" terrain with aged regolith, and craters probing into deeper plutonic layers of the crust. On the other hand, large regions of the western hemisphere are taken up by dark geologic units thought to be surface basalts, perhaps analogous to the lunar maria. The Hubble Space Telescope is a telescope in orbit around the Earth. ... The albedo is a measure of reflectivity of a surface or body. ... Regolith is a layer of loose, heterogeneous material covering solid rock. ... Basalt Basalt is an extrusive igneous rock, sometimes porphyritic, and is often both fine-grained and dense. ... The Lunar maria (singular: mare, pronounced MAH-ray) are large, dark, basaltic plains on Earths Moon, formed by ancient basaltic flood eruptions caused by extremely large meteoroid impacts. ...

Further details

4 Vesta and 1 Ceres alongside Earth's Moon.

The V-type asteroid 1929 Kollaa was determined to have a composition akin to cumulate eucrite meteorites, indicating its origin deep within the Vestian crust ^[12]. Image File history File links The asteroids 4 Vesta and 1 Ceres shown alongside the Earths Moon. ... Image File history File links The asteroids 4 Vesta and 1 Ceres shown alongside the Earths Moon. ... 1 Ceres (, Latin Cerēs) was the first asteroid to be discovered. ... Crust composition Oxygen 43% Silicon 21% Aluminium 10% Calcium 9% Iron 9% Magnesium 5% Titanium 2% Nickel 0. ... The V-type asteroids or Vestoids are moderately bright, and very similar to the more common S-type, which are also made up of stony irons and ordinary chondrites. ... The Ibitira Eucrite, a non-cumulate non-brecciated eucrite of the Stannern trend. ...

Vesta is currently one of only four identified Solar system bodies for which we have physical samples, the others being Mars, the Moon, and Earth itself. Presentation of the solar system (not to scale) The solar system comprises our Sun and the retinue of celestial objects gravitationally bound to it. ... Amongst the findings from the Opportunity rover is the presence of hematite on Mars in the form of small spheres on the Meridiani Planum. ... Crust composition Oxygen 43% Silicon 21% Aluminium 10% Calcium 9% Iron 9% Magnesium 5% Titanium 2% Nickel 0. ... Earth, also known as Terra, and (mostly in the 19th century) Tellus, is the third-closest planet to the Sun. ...

Our knowledge about Vesta is expected to increase tremendously when the Dawn probe enters orbit around the asteroid for nine months in 2010-2011.
Dawn spacecraft, powered by ion thrusters The Dawn Mission is a NASA unmanned space mission that will send an orbiting space probe to examine the asteroids Ceres and Vesta. ... A space probe is an unmanned space mission in which a spacecraft leaves Earths orbit. ... In physics, an orbit is the path that an object makes, around another object, whilst under the influence of a source of centripetal force, such as gravity. ... 2010 (MMX) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2011 (MMXI) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Aspects

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December 20 is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is a Leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 21 is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is a Leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 8 is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2010 (MMX) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 18 is the 49th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2010 (MMX) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 8 is the 98th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (99th in leap years). ... 2010 (MMX) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 192 days remaining. ... 2009 by topic 2009 (MMIX) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 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December 9 is the 343rd day (344th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2012 (MMXII) is a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2013 (MMXIII) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 10 is the 100th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (101st in leap years). ... 2012 (MMXII) is a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 7 is the 66th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (67th in Leap years). ... 2014 (MMXIV) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 15 is the 105th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (106th in leap years). ... 2014 (MMXIV) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining. ... 2014 (MMXIV) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. ... 2013 (MMXIII) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 16 is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2015 (MMXV) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 92 days remaining. ... 2015 (MMXV) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 19 is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2015 (MMXV) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2015 (MMXV) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 3 is the 337th (in leap years the 338th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2016 (MMXVI) is a Leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 19 is the 19th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2017 (MMXVII) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 8 poster from Portugal March 8 is the 67th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (68th in Leap years). ... 2017 (MMXVII) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 24 is the 144th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (145th in leap years). ... 2016 (MMXVI) is a Leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 11 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (132nd in leap years). ... 2018 (MMXVIII) is a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 192 days remaining. ... 2018 (MMXVIII) is a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 4 is the 216th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (217th in leap years), with 149 days remaining. ... 2018 (MMXVIII) is a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 29 is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years). ... 2017 (MMXVII) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 26 is the 269th day of the year (270th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 96 days remaining. ... 2019 (MMXIX) is a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 13 is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 48 days remaining. ... 2019 (MMXIX) is a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 3 is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2020 (MMXX) is a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 9 is the 68th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (69th in Leap years). ... 2019 (MMXIX) is a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 25 is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2021 is a common year starting on Friday. ... March 6 is the 65th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (66th in Leap years). ... 2021 is a common year starting on Friday. ... April 24 is the 114th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (115th in leap years). ... 2021 is a common year starting on Friday. ... July 6 is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 178 days remaining. ... 2020 (MMXX) is a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

1. E. V. Pitjeva, Estimations of Masses of the Largest Asteroids and the Main Asteroid Belt From Ranging to Planets, Mars Orbiters And Landers Solar System Resarch, Vol. 39 pp. 176 (2005).
2. Supplemental IRAS Minor Planet Survey
3. T. G. Mueller and L. Metcalfe ISO and Asteroids, ESA bulletin Vol. 108, p. 38 (2001).
4. P. C. Thomas et al Impact excavation on asteroid 4 Vesta: Hubble Space Telescope results, Science, Vol. 277, pp. 1492 (1997).
5. P. C. Thomas et al Vesta: Spin Pole, Size, and Shape from HST Images, Icarus, Vol. 128, p. 88 (1997).
6. A. Ghosh and H. Y. McSween A Thermal Model for the Differentiation of Asteroid 4 Vesta, Based on Radiogenic Heating, Icarus, Vol. 134, p. 187 (1998).
7. K. Righter and M. J. Drake A magma ocean on Vesta: Core formation and petrogenesis of eucrites and diogenites, Meteoritics & Planetary Science, Vol. 32, p. 929 (1997).
8. M. J. Drake The eucrite/Vesta story, Meteoritics & Planetary Science, Vol. 36, p. 501 (2001).
9. H. Takeda Mineralogical records of early planetary processes on the HED parent body with reference to Vesta, Meteoritics & Planbetary Science, Vol. 32, p. 841 (1997).
10. R. P. Binzel et al Geologic Mapping of Vesta from 1994 Hubble Space Telescope Images, Icarus, Vol. 128, p. 95 (1997).
11. B. J. Zellner et al Hubble Space Telescope Images of Asteroid Vesta in 1994, Icarus, Vol. 128, p. 83 (1997).
12. M. S. Kelley et al Quantified mineralogical evidence for a common origin of 1929 Kollaa with 4 Vesta and the HED meteorites, Icarus, Vol. 165, p. 215 (2003).

• • K. Keil, Geological History of Asteroid 4 Vesta: The Smallest Terrestrial Planet in Asteroids III, William Bottke, Alberto Cellino, Paolo Paolicchi, and Richard P. Binzel, (Editors), Univ. of Arizona Press (2002), ISBN 0816522812

External links

• Views of the Solar System: Vesta
• HubbleSite: Hubble Maps the Asteroid Vesta
• HubbleSite: Hubble Reveals Huge Crater on the Surface of the Asteroid Vesta
• [4]: short movie composed from Hubble Space Telescope images from November 1994.
• Adaptive optics views of Vesta from Keck Observatory

… | Previous asteroid | 4 Vesta | Next asteroid | … The Hubble Space Telescope is a telescope in orbit around the Earth. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... 3 Juno (jew-noh) was discovered on September 1, 1804 by German astronomer Karl L. Harding, using a humble 2-inch telescope. ... 5 Astraea (as-tree-a; written Astræa in the early scientific litterature) is a large main belt asteroid. ...