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TOPIC: Vesta
Blobrana


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RE: Vesta
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Vesta - an asteroid in 3D
What might asteroid Vesta look like? In a new animation, researchers at the German Aerospace Centre (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) have recreated the asteroid in 3D. In the animation, the asteroid is irregularly shaped, has a slight indentation at its South Pole and numerous impact craters. In July 2011, after a four year journey, NASA's Dawn spacecraft will reach the asteroid, which circles the Sun in the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. This will be like taking a journey into the past because Vesta is a celestial body that has not changed much since the formation of the Solar System.
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Cosmic chunk from the belly of 3rd largest asteroid found in space

Scientists have found in space a chunk that was once a part of the third-largest asteroid.
Using NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, experts at University of North Dakota Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Germany, have found a new kind of asteroid.
The mineralogical composition suggests that 1999 TA10 didn't originate from the outer crust of parent asteroid Vesta, but from deeper layers.
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Asteroid (4) Vesta
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Ephemeris 
Date    TT    R. A. (2000) Decl.     Delta      r     Elong.  Phase     V

2011 05 02    20 52 24.6 -17 26 44   1.9203  2.1752    90.4    27.6     7.3

2011 05 03    20 53 43.3 -17 24 11   1.9092  2.1757    91.1    27.6     7.3

2011 05 04    20 55 01.0 -17 21 42   1.8981  2.1762    91.7    27.6     7.3

2011 05 05    20 56 17.6 -17 19 18   1.8871  2.1767    92.4    27.6     7.3

2011 05 06    20 57 33.1 -17 16 58   1.8760  2.1772    93.1    27.6     7.2

2011 05 07    20 58 47.5 -17 14 43   1.8650  2.1777    93.8    27.5     7.2

2011 05 08    21 00 00.9 -17 12 32   1.8540  2.1782    94.4    27.5     7.2

2011 05 09    21 01 13.1 -17 10 27   1.8430  2.1788    95.1    27.5     7.2

2011 05 10    21 02 24.2 -17 08 27   1.8320  2.1793    95.8    27.4     7.2

2011 05 11    21 03 34.1 -17 06 32   1.8210  2.1798    96.5    27.4     7.2

2011 05 12    21 04 42.9 -17 04 43   1.8101  2.1803    97.2    27.4     7.2

2011 05 13    21 05 50.6 -17 02 59   1.7991  2.1809    97.9    27.3     7.2

2011 05 14    21 06 57.0 -17 01 22   1.7882  2.1814    98.6    27.3     7.1

2011 05 15    21 08 02.3 -16 59 50   1.7774  2.1820    99.3    27.2     7.1

2011 05 16    21 09 06.3 -16 58 25   1.7665  2.1825   100.0    27.1     7.1

2011 05 17    21 10 09.2 -16 57 06   1.7557  2.1831   100.7    27.1     7.1

2011 05 18    21 11 10.8 -16 55 54   1.7449  2.1836   101.5    27.0     7.1

2011 05 19    21 12 11.1 -16 54 48   1.7342  2.1842   102.2    26.9     7.1

2011 05 20    21 13 10.1 -16 53 49   1.7235  2.1847   102.9    26.8     7.1

2011 05 21    21 14 07.9 -16 52 58   1.7128  2.1853   103.6    26.7     7.0

2011 05 22    21 15 04.3 -16 52 14   1.7021  2.1859   104.4    26.6     7.0

2011 05 23    21 15 59.4 -16 51 37   1.6915  2.1865   105.1    26.5     7.0

2011 05 24    21 16 53.2 -16 51 09   1.6810  2.1871   105.9    26.4     7.0

2011 05 25    21 17 45.5 -16 50 48   1.6705  2.1876   106.7    26.3     7.0

2011 05 26    21 18 36.5 -16 50 35   1.6600  2.1882   107.4    26.2     7.0

2011 05 27    21 19 26.0 -16 50 31   1.6496  2.1888   108.2    26.1     6.9

2011 05 28    21 20 14.1 -16 50 35   1.6392  2.1894   109.0    26.0     6.9

2011 05 29    21 21 00.7 -16 50 48   1.6289  2.1901   109.8    25.8     6.9

2011 05 30    21 21 45.8 -16 51 10   1.6187  2.1907   110.5    25.7     6.9

2011 05 31    21 22 29.5 -16 51 41   1.6085  2.1913   111.3    25.5     6.9

2011 06 01    21 23 11.6 -16 52 21   1.5984  2.1919   112.1    25.4     6.9

2011 06 02    21 23 52.1 -16 53 10   1.5883  2.1925   112.9    25.2     6.8

2011 06 03    21 24 31.1 -16 54 09   1.5783  2.1932   113.8    25.0     6.8

2011 06 04    21 25 08.5 -16 55 18   1.5684  2.1938   114.6    24.9     6.8

2011 06 05    21 25 44.3 -16 56 36   1.5586  2.1944   115.4    24.7     6.8

2011 06 06    21 26 18.5 -16 58 05   1.5488  2.1951   116.2    24.5     6.8

2011 06 07    21 26 51.0 -16 59 43   1.5392  2.1957   117.1    24.3     6.8

2011 06 08    21 27 21.9 -17 01 31   1.5296  2.1964   117.9    24.1     6.7

2011 06 09    21 27 51.2 -17 03 30   1.5201  2.1970   118.8    23.9     6.7

2011 06 10    21 28 18.7 -17 05 39   1.5106  2.1977   119.6    23.7     6.7

2011 06 11    21 28 44.6 -17 07 58   1.5013  2.1983   120.5    23.4     6.7

2011 06 12    21 29 08.7 -17 10 28   1.4921  2.1990   121.4    23.2     6.7

2011 06 13    21 29 31.1 -17 13 09   1.4830  2.1997   122.3    23.0     6.6

2011 06 14    21 29 51.8 -17 16 00   1.4739  2.2003   123.2    22.7     6.6

2011 06 15    21 30 10.7 -17 19 02   1.4650  2.2010   124.1    22.5     6.6

2011 06 16    21 30 27.9 -17 22 14   1.4562  2.2017   125.0    22.2     6.6

2011 06 17    21 30 43.2 -17 25 38   1.4475  2.2024   125.9    21.9     6.6

2011 06 18    21 30 56.8 -17 29 12   1.4389  2.2031   126.8    21.7     6.5

2011 06 19    21 31 08.5 -17 32 58   1.4304  2.2038   127.7    21.4     6.5

2011 06 20    21 31 18.4 -17 36 54   1.4220  2.2045   128.6    21.1     6.5

2011 06 21    21 31 26.4 -17 41 02   1.4138  2.2052   129.6    20.8     6.5

2011 06 22    21 31 32.6 -17 45 20   1.4057  2.2059   130.5    20.5     6.5

2011 06 23    21 31 36.9 -17 49 50   1.3977  2.2066   131.5    20.2     6.5

2011 06 24    21 31 39.3 -17 54 30   1.3899  2.2073   132.5    19.9     6.4

2011 06 25    21 31 39.7 -17 59 21   1.3822  2.2080   133.4    19.5     6.4

2011 06 26    21 31 38.3 -18 04 24   1.3746  2.2087   134.4    19.2     6.4

2011 06 27    21 31 35.0 -18 09 37   1.3672  2.2094   135.4    18.8     6.4

2011 06 28    21 31 29.7 -18 15 01   1.3599  2.2102   136.4    18.5     6.4

2011 06 29    21 31 22.6 -18 20 35   1.3528  2.2109   137.4    18.1     6.3

2011 06 30    21 31 13.5 -18 26 19   1.3459  2.2116   138.4    17.8     6.3

2011 07 01    21 31 02.5 -18 32 14   1.3391  2.2124   139.4    17.4     6.3

2011 07 02    21 30 49.5 -18 38 19   1.3324  2.2131   140.4    17.0     6.3

2011 07 03    21 30 34.7 -18 44 34   1.3260  2.2139   141.5    16.6     6.2

2011 07 04    21 30 18.0 -18 50 58   1.3197  2.2146   142.5    16.2     6.2

2011 07 05    21 29 59.4 -18 57 31   1.3136  2.2154   143.5    15.8     6.2

2011 07 06    21 29 38.9 -19 04 13   1.3077  2.2161   144.6    15.4     6.2

2011 07 07    21 29 16.6 -19 11 04   1.3019  2.2169   145.7    15.0     6.2

2011 07 08    21 28 52.5 -19 18 03   1.2964  2.2176   146.7    14.6     6.1

2011 07 09    21 28 26.6 -19 25 09   1.2910  2.2184   147.8    14.1     6.1

2011 07 10    21 27 58.9 -19 32 24   1.2858  2.2192   148.9    13.7     6.1

2011 07 11    21 27 29.5 -19 39 45   1.2809  2.2199   149.9    13.3     6.1

2011 07 12    21 26 58.4 -19 47 14   1.2761  2.2207   151.0    12.8     6.1

2011 07 13    21 26 25.6 -19 54 49   1.2715  2.2215   152.1    12.4     6.0

2011 07 14    21 25 51.2 -20 02 30   1.2672  2.2223   153.2    11.9     6.0

2011 07 15    21 25 15.1 -20 10 16   1.2630  2.2231   154.3    11.4     6.0

2011 07 16    21 24 37.5 -20 18 08   1.2591  2.2239   155.4    11.0     6.0

2011 07 17    21 23 58.3 -20 26 04   1.2553  2.2246   156.5    10.5     6.0

2011 07 18    21 23 17.6 -20 34 04   1.2518  2.2254   157.6    10.0     5.9

2011 07 19    21 22 35.5 -20 42 08   1.2486  2.2262   158.7     9.5     5.9

2011 07 20    21 21 51.9 -20 50 15   1.2455  2.2270   159.8     9.1     5.9

2011 07 21    21 21 07.0 -20 58 25   1.2427  2.2278   160.9     8.6     5.9

2011 07 22    21 20 20.8 -21 06 37   1.2401  2.2287   162.0     8.1     5.9

2011 07 23    21 19 33.4 -21 14 51   1.2377  2.2295   163.1     7.6     5.8

2011 07 24    21 18 44.8 -21 23 05   1.2356  2.2303   164.2     7.1     5.8

2011 07 25    21 17 55.1 -21 31 20   1.2337  2.2311   165.3     6.7     5.8

2011 07 26    21 17 04.3 -21 39 35   1.2320  2.2319   166.3     6.2     5.8

2011 07 27    21 16 12.6 -21 47 49   1.2306  2.2327   167.4     5.7     5.8

2011 07 28    21 15 19.9 -21 56 02   1.2294  2.2336   168.4     5.3     5.7

2011 07 29    21 14 26.5 -22 04 13   1.2285  2.2344   169.4     4.8     5.7

2011 07 30    21 13 32.2 -22 12 21   1.2278  2.2352   170.3     4.4     5.7

2011 07 31    21 12 37.4 -22 20 26   1.2274  2.2361   171.2     4.0     5.7

2011 08 01    21 11 41.9 -22 28 27   1.2272  2.2369   172.0     3.6     5.7

2011 08 02    21 10 46.0 -22 36 24   1.2273  2.2377   172.7     3.3     5.7

2011 08 03    21 09 49.6 -22 44 16   1.2276  2.2386   173.2     3.1     5.6

2011 08 04    21 08 53.0 -22 52 02   1.2282  2.2394   173.6     2.9     5.6

2011 08 05    21 07 56.1 -22 59 43   1.2290  2.2403   173.7     2.8     5.6

2011 08 06    21 06 59.2 -23 07 17   1.2301  2.2411   173.7     2.9     5.6

2011 08 07    21 06 02.1 -23 14 43   1.2314  2.2420   173.4     3.0     5.6

2011 08 08    21 05 05.1 -23 22 03   1.2330  2.2428   172.9     3.2     5.7

2011 08 09    21 04 08.3 -23 29 14   1.2348  2.2437   172.2     3.5     5.7

2011 08 10    21 03 11.7 -23 36 18   1.2369  2.2445   171.5     3.8     5.7

2011 08 11    21 02 15.4 -23 43 12   1.2392  2.2454   170.6     4.2     5.7

2011 08 12    21 01 19.4 -23 49 57   1.2418  2.2463   169.7     4.6     5.7

2011 08 13    21 00 23.9 -23 56 33   1.2446  2.2471   168.8     5.0     5.8

2011 08 14    20 59 29.0 -24 03 00   1.2477  2.2480   167.7     5.5     5.8

2011 08 15    20 58 34.7 -24 09 16   1.2510  2.2489   166.7     5.9     5.8

2011 08 16    20 57 41.1 -24 15 22   1.2545  2.2498   165.7     6.4     5.8

2011 08 17    20 56 48.3 -24 21 17   1.2583  2.2506   164.6     6.9     5.9

2011 08 18    20 55 56.3 -24 27 02   1.2623  2.2515   163.5     7.3     5.9

2011 08 19    20 55 05.3 -24 32 35   1.2666  2.2524   162.4     7.8     5.9

2011 08 20    20 54 15.2 -24 37 57   1.2711  2.2533   161.3     8.3     5.9

2011 08 21    20 53 26.2 -24 43 08   1.2758  2.2542   160.3     8.7     6.0

2011 08 22    20 52 38.4 -24 48 07   1.2808  2.2551   159.2     9.2     6.0

2011 08 23    20 51 51.8 -24 52 55   1.2859  2.2560   158.1     9.6     6.0

2011 08 24    20 51 06.4 -24 57 30   1.2914  2.2568   157.0    10.1     6.0

2011 08 25    20 50 22.4 -25 01 54   1.2970  2.2577   155.9    10.6     6.1

2011 08 26    20 49 39.8 -25 06 05   1.3028  2.2586   154.8    11.0     6.1

2011 08 27    20 48 58.6 -25 10 04   1.3089  2.2595   153.7    11.4     6.1

2011 08 28    20 48 18.9 -25 13 51   1.3152  2.2604   152.6    11.9     6.1

2011 08 29    20 47 40.8 -25 17 26   1.3217  2.2614   151.5    12.3     6.2

2011 08 30    20 47 04.3 -25 20 49   1.3284  2.2623   150.4    12.7     6.2

2011 08 31    20 46 29.5 -25 23 59   1.3353  2.2632   149.3    13.2     6.2

2011 09 01    20 45 56.4 -25 26 57   1.3425  2.2641   148.3    13.6     6.2

2011 09 02    20 45 25.0 -25 29 43   1.3498  2.2650   147.2    14.0     6.3

2011 09 03    20 44 55.4 -25 32 17   1.3573  2.2659   146.1    14.4     6.3

2011 09 04    20 44 27.7 -25 34 39   1.3650  2.2668   145.1    14.8     6.3

2011 09 05    20 44 01.7 -25 36 49   1.3729  2.2677   144.0    15.1     6.3

2011 09 06    20 43 37.6 -25 38 47   1.3810  2.2687   143.0    15.5     6.4

2011 09 07    20 43 15.4 -25 40 33   1.3892  2.2696   142.0    15.9     6.4

2011 09 08    20 42 55.0 -25 42 08   1.3976  2.2705   140.9    16.2     6.4

2011 09 09    20 42 36.6 -25 43 32   1.4062  2.2714   139.9    16.6     6.4

2011 09 10    20 42 20.1 -25 44 44   1.4150  2.2724   138.9    16.9     6.5

2011 09 11    20 42 05.5 -25 45 46   1.4239  2.2733   137.9    17.3     6.5

2011 09 12    20 41 52.8 -25 46 36   1.4330  2.2742   136.9    17.6     6.5

2011 09 13    20 41 42.1 -25 47 16   1.4423  2.2752   135.9    17.9     6.5

2011 09 14    20 41 33.3 -25 47 45   1.4517  2.2761   134.9    18.3     6.5

2011 09 15    20 41 26.4 -25 48 04   1.4613  2.2770   133.9    18.6     6.6

2011 09 16    20 41 21.4 -25 48 12   1.4710  2.2780   132.9    18.9     6.6

2011 09 17    20 41 18.4 -25 48 10   1.4808  2.2789   131.9    19.2     6.6

2011 09 18    20 41 17.3 -25 47 58   1.4908  2.2799   131.0    19.4     6.6

2011 09 19    20 41 18.1 -25 47 36   1.5009  2.2808   130.0    19.7     6.7

2011 09 20    20 41 20.8 -25 47 04   1.5112  2.2817   129.1    20.0     6.7

2011 09 21    20 41 25.4 -25 46 23   1.5216  2.2827   128.1    20.2     6.7

2011 09 22    20 41 31.9 -25 45 32   1.5322  2.2836   127.2    20.5     6.7

2011 09 23    20 41 40.4 -25 44 31   1.5428  2.2846   126.3    20.7     6.8

2011 09 24    20 41 50.6 -25 43 22   1.5536  2.2855   125.3    21.0     6.8

2011 09 25    20 42 02.8 -25 42 03   1.5645  2.2865   124.4    21.2     6.8

2011 09 26    20 42 16.8 -25 40 35   1.5755  2.2874   123.5    21.4     6.8

2011 09 27    20 42 32.6 -25 38 59   1.5866  2.2884   122.6    21.7     6.8

2011 09 28    20 42 50.2 -25 37 13   1.5979  2.2894   121.7    21.9     6.9

2011 09 29    20 43 09.7 -25 35 19   1.6092  2.2903   120.8    22.1     6.9

2011 09 30    20 43 31.0 -25 33 17   1.6207  2.2913   119.9    22.3     6.9

2011 10 01    20 43 54.0 -25 31 06   1.6322  2.2922   119.0    22.5     6.9

2011 10 02    20 44 18.7 -25 28 47   1.6439  2.2932   118.2    22.6     7.0

2011 10 03    20 44 45.2 -25 26 19   1.6556  2.2942   117.3    22.8     7.0

2011 10 04    20 45 13.4 -25 23 44   1.6674  2.2951   116.4    23.0     7.0

2011 10 05    20 45 43.2 -25 21 01   1.6794  2.2961   115.6    23.1     7.0

2011 10 06    20 46 14.7 -25 18 11   1.6913  2.2971   114.7    23.3     7.0

2011 10 07    20 46 47.8 -25 15 12   1.7034  2.2980   113.9    23.4     7.1

2011 10 08    20 47 22.5 -25 12 07   1.7156  2.2990   113.1    23.6     7.1

2011 10 09    20 47 58.8 -25 08 54   1.7278  2.3000   112.2    23.7     7.1

2011 10 10    20 48 36.6 -25 05 34   1.7401  2.3009   111.4    23.8     7.1

2011 10 11    20 49 15.9 -25 02 06   1.7525  2.3019   110.6    24.0     7.1

2011 10 12    20 49 56.7 -24 58 32   1.7649  2.3029   109.8    24.1     7.2

2011 10 13    20 50 38.9 -24 54 50   1.7774  2.3038   109.0    24.2     7.2

2011 10 14    20 51 22.6 -24 51 02   1.7899  2.3048   108.2    24.3     7.2

2011 10 15    20 52 07.7 -24 47 07   1.8026  2.3058   107.4    24.4     7.2

2011 10 16    20 52 54.2 -24 43 05   1.8152  2.3068   106.6    24.5     7.2

2011 10 17    20 53 42.0 -24 38 57   1.8280  2.3077   105.8    24.6     7.2

2011 10 18    20 54 31.2 -24 34 42   1.8407  2.3087   105.0    24.6     7.3

2011 10 19    20 55 21.6 -24 30 20   1.8536  2.3097   104.2    24.7     7.3

2011 10 20    20 56 13.4 -24 25 52   1.8664  2.3107   103.4    24.8     7.3

2011 10 21    20 57 06.4 -24 21 17   1.8794  2.3117   102.7    24.9     7.3

2011 10 22    20 58 00.7 -24 16 37   1.8923  2.3126   101.9    24.9     7.3

2011 10 23    20 58 56.2 -24 11 49   1.9054  2.3136   101.1    25.0     7.3

2011 10 24    20 59 52.9 -24 06 56   1.9184  2.3146   100.4    25.0     7.4

2011 10 25    21 00 50.7 -24 01 56   1.9315  2.3156    99.6    25.1     7.4

2011 10 26    21 01 49.8 -23 56 51   1.9446  2.3166    98.9    25.1     7.4

2011 10 27    21 02 49.9 -23 51 39   1.9578  2.3176    98.1    25.1     7.4

2011 10 28    21 03 51.2 -23 46 21   1.9710  2.3185    97.4    25.2     7.4

2011 10 29    21 04 53.6 -23 40 57   1.9842  2.3195    96.6    25.2     7.4

2011 10 30    21 05 57.0 -23 35 27   1.9974  2.3205    95.9    25.2     7.5

2011 10 31    21 07 01.5 -23 29 51   2.0107  2.3215    95.2    25.2     7.5

2011 11 01    21 08 07.0 -23 24 10   2.0239  2.3225    94.5    25.2     7.5

2011 11 02    21 09 13.4 -23 18 23   2.0372  2.3235    93.7    25.2     7.5

2011 11 03    21 10 20.9 -23 12 30   2.0505  2.3245    93.0    25.2     7.5

2011 11 04    21 11 29.3 -23 06 32   2.0639  2.3255    92.3    25.2     7.5

2011 11 05    21 12 38.6 -23 00 28   2.0772  2.3264    91.6    25.2     7.6

2011 11 06    21 13 48.8 -22 54 19   2.0905  2.3274    90.9    25.2     7.6

2011 11 07    21 14 59.9 -22 48 04   2.1039  2.3284    90.2    25.2     7.6


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Blobrana


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Date:
RE: Vesta
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New views of the second-biggest asteroid in the solar system are giving astronomers a better sense of how the object spins -- information that will come in handy when a NASA spacecraft arrives at the space rock July 2011.
The images, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, show the asteroid Vesta, a large space rock in the asteroid belt located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
NASA researchers combined 216 new photos into a video of Vesta as it rotates once every 5.34 hours.
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Blobrana


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New glimpse of Vesta

What now looks like a blurry potato should, within nine months, blossom into detailed pictures of Vesta, the brightest asteroid in the sky. This view is one of several taken by the Hubble telescope's Wide Field Camera 3 to provide a better look at the space rock before the arrival of the Dawn spacecraft in July 2011.
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Blobrana


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NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured images of the large asteroid Vesta that will help refine plans for the Dawn spacecraft's rendezvous with Vesta in July 2011.
Scientists have constructed a video from the images that will help improve pointing instructions for Dawn as it is placed in a polar orbit around Vesta. Analyses of Hubble images revealed a pole orientation, or tilt, of approximately four degrees more to the asteroid's east than scientists previously thought.
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Blobrana


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Ephemeris
Date    TT    R. A. (2000) Decl.     Delta      r     Elong.  Phase     V
2010 02 05    10 30.33   +17 56.0    1.453    2.408   161.6     7.4     6.3
2010 02 10    10 26.16   +18 38.9    1.432    2.403   166.7     5.4     6.2
2010 02 15    10 21.59   +19 21.4    1.419    2.399   170.6     3.9     6.1
2010 02 20    10 16.77   +20 02.1    1.412    2.394   171.0     3.7     6.1
2010 02 25    10 11.86   +20 39.8    1.413    2.389   167.6     5.1     6.2
2010 03 02    10 07.06   +21 13.5    1.420    2.384   162.6     7.1     6.3


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Blobrana


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Tatahouine meteorite
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Diogenite - ADIO
Tunisia

While 99.8% of all meteorites originate from the vast area between
Mars and Jupiter referred to as the asteroid belt, Tatahouine is one of
the few meteorites known which possesses a specific address of origin
(the other noteworthy examples being Martian meteorites and
samples of the Moon). Diogenites are an exotic meteorite class that
scientists believe originated from the asteroid Vesta, and Tatahouine
is a one-of-a-kind diogenite.
On July 27, 1931 just outside the Tunisian town of Foum
Tatahouine, a meteorite descending through the atmosphere exploded
into thousands of small fragments, most of which weighed less than
one gram. The specimen offered here-collected by noted French
meteoriticist Dr. Alain Carion and his son, Louis-is an exception.
Given its distinctively olive green matrix, striated black shock veins
and accretions of shock melt, there is no other meteorite that looks
remotely like Tatahouine.

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RE: Vesta
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Title: Asteroid colours: a novel tool for magnetic field detection?  The case of Vesta
Authors: P. Vernazza1, R. Brunetto, G. Strazzulla, M. Fulchignoni, P. Rochette, N. Meyer-Vernet and I. Zouganelis1

Aims. Vesta's surface is surprisingly pristine. Although its basaltic surface is roughly similar to the lunar surface, which is intensely space weathered, its surface remains unaltered. It has been shown recently that solar-wind irradiation dominates asteroidal space weathering with a timescale on the order 10^4-10^6 years. Recent ion irradiation experiments on pyroxenes have shown significant reddening and darkening of the collected spectra with progressive irradiation. Since pyroxene is a major surface component of Vesta as determined by spectroscopy, we aimed to test whether the solar wind irradiation alters significantly the optical properties of the surface of Vesta.
Methods. Consequently, we performed an ion irradiation experiment on a eucrite meteorite, which characterises the surface of Vesta well, in order to simulate the solar wind irradiation on this asteroid.
Results. Our result implies that, if solar wind ions do reach the surface of Vesta, its reflectance spectrum should be much redder and its albedo lower. Indeed, this implies that solar wind particles can not have reached the asteroid surface. This strongly suggests the presence of a magnetic field shielding the surface from solar wind ions. This is the first remote detection of the magnetic field of an asteroid based on its colour.

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Getting to Know Vesta
--- Scientists are primed with geochemical data from HED meteorites for Dawn's encounter with asteroid 4 Vesta.

The howardite-eucrite-diogenite class of meteorites (called the HEDs) are rocks formed from basaltic magmas. What makes them special is that the HEDs have reflectance spectra in the visible and near-infrared that match spectra from asteroid 4 Vesta, implying Vesta is their parent body. We will soon have new data from Vesta from NASA's Dawn orbiting spacecraft, which carries a gamma ray and neutron detector, dubbed the GRaND instrument. GRaND will orbit asteroid 4 Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres and map the near-surface abundances of major and minor elements, and volatiles found in ices (in the case of Ceres) such as hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen. Tomohiro Usui and Harry Y. (Hap) McSween, Jr. (University of Tennessee) have proposed a way to interpret the upcoming GRaND data from Vesta based on well-analysed samples of HED meteorites and a mixing model they devised that uses element ratios of the three expected rock types. In turn, the new data from Vesta may help scientists better understand the geologic context for HED meteorites.

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