Map of the asteroid Vesta

Geological map of the asteroid Vesta
Geological map of the asteroid Vesta

In the fall of 2007, NASA launched a significant discovery mission to study Vesta and Ceres in the asteroid belt. The Dawn spacecraft mission has been going strong and studying these objects using its on-board instruments. This virtual map of the protoplanet Vesta shows various geological features and unifies 15 individual quadrangle maps. Here is a breakdown of the different coloured areas:

  • Brown – believed to be the oldest and most cratered
  • Purple(s) – affected by the Veneneia impact
  • Blue(s) – affected by the Rheasilvia impact
  • Greens and yellows – relatively young landslides
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