NASA's Dawn spacecraft obtains first low altitude images of Vesta
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - 11:31
in Astronomy & Space
NASA's Dawn spacecraft has sent back the first images of the giant asteroid Vesta from its low-altitude mapping orbit. The images, obtained by the framing camera, show the stippled and lumpy surface in detail never seen before, piquing the curiosity of scientists who are studying Vesta for clues about the solar system's early history.