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General Weather/Earth Sciences Topics => Earth Sciences => Topic started by: SlowModem on July 15, 2011, 04:14:20 PM

Title: Asteroid orbit and pictures this weekend!
Post by: SlowModem on July 15, 2011, 04:14:20 PM

Dawn spacecraft to orbit two asteroids.  Story here (http://news.yahoo.com/dawn-craft-circle-giant-asteroid-1st-stop-092215445.html;_ylt=AmESE9BwoQIUh.idQjAf.w.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTM4cTE3OWZlBHBrZwM1NzkxNWU3Ny04OGYyLTM5OGItYTVmMS1kODhkNzZiNGJiMTAEcG9zAzEzBHNlYwNUb3BTdG9yeSBGUAR2ZXIDNTRlOTIyMzAtYWVjNS0xMWUwLWFmZmItMzk1ZWM3MzkwYzNi;_ylg=X3oDMTFpNzk0NjhtBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z;_ylv=3).

Title: Re: Asteroid orbit and pictures this weekend!
Post by: Downlinerz2 on July 15, 2011, 06:16:49 PM

   I was excitited to read that in my NASA News Brief this morning.  Vesta is magnitude 6.0 right now according to my The Sky Astronomy Software just visible to the naked eye in very, very dark skies.  Not visible here but within the grasp of good binocs and a telescope.  It becomes at a good elevation after 1 AM for my area and is in the constellation Capricorn.  It is just passed it zenith in the southern sky at 4 AM.  Thanks Greg for the article,  it had some more info than my newsbrief. 

Title: Re: Asteroid orbit and pictures this weekend!
Post by: Maumelle Weather on July 15, 2011, 06:51:05 PM

Very interesting story, plus being very cool.  Thanks.

John

Title: Re: Asteroid orbit and pictures this weekend!
Post by: DanS on July 15, 2011, 07:15:30 PM

Good reading there, thanks. One line that got me scratching my head this morning is  "It's estimated that 1 out of every 20 meteorites found on our planet came from Vesta."  I guess my coffee hasn't kicked in yet. :-)

Title: Re: Asteroid orbit and pictures this weekend!
Post by: Downlinerz2 on July 15, 2011, 08:31:57 PM

   

Quote from: DanS on July 15, 2011, 07:15:30 PM

Good reading there, thanks. One line that got me scratching my head this morning is  "It's estimated that 1 out of every 20 meteorites found on our planet came from Vesta."  I guess my coffee hasn't kicked in yet. :-)

   That does put a pucker in the brain cells no matter what time it is!!! ;)

Title: Re: Asteroid orbit and pictures this weekend!
Post by: SlowModem on July 17, 2011, 09:43:55 AM

Orbit has been achieved.  Story here (http://news.yahoo.com/nasa-spacecraft-enters-orbit-around-asteroid-vesta-space-132002226.html;_ylt=AhY0dLe6JHTvlKEIY3PqPgms0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNkNjExbTV0BHBrZwNlOWIzMmFlZC05ZmU0LTNhNTctYmFiMS01ZDc3ZjYyOGU0NGQEcG9zAzQEc2VjA2xuX0xhdGVzdE5ld3NfZ2FsBHZlcgM3YWRiYjIxMC1iMDc3LTExZTAtOTdiOC0wMGIzZmU5NzA5ZWQ-;_ylv=3).

Title: Re: Asteroid orbit and pictures this weekend!
Post by: DanS on July 17, 2011, 10:34:36 AM

Wow, that's a lot of number crunching. It's amazing how NASA can control the satellite's orbit to the point where it can pull out of it later using just the ion motor(s).

Title: Re: Asteroid orbit and pictures this weekend!
Post by: Downlinerz2 on July 19, 2011, 11:33:25 AM

   Pic of Vesta from DAWN   You can go to    http://www.nasa.gov/dawn  for full res pics.
I will never look at Vesta the same from now on.  Very neat picture.