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Astronomy Picture of the Day -- A Landslide on Asteroid Vesta
NASA ^
| November 28, 2011
| (see photo credit)
Posted on 11/28/2011 8:43:51 PM PST by SunkenCiv
Explanation: Asteroid Vesta is home to some of the most impressive cliffs in the Solar System. Pictured above near the image center is a very deep cliff running about 20 kilometers from top to bottom. The image was taken by the robotic Dawn spacecraft that began orbiting the 500-kilometer space rock earlier this year. The topography of the scarp and its surroundings indicates that huge landslides may have occurred down this slope. The scarp's origin remains unknown, but parts of the cliff face itself must be quite old as several craters have appeared in it since it was created. Dawn has now finished up its high altitude mapping survey and will spiral down to a lower altitude orbit to better explore the asteroid's gravitational field. During 2012, Dawn is scheduled to blast away from Vesta and begin a long journey to the only asteroid belt object known to be larger: Ceres.
(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...
TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; astronomy; science; vesta
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1
posted on
11/28/2011 8:43:56 PM PST
by
SunkenCiv
To: brytlea; cripplecreek; decimon; bigheadfred; KoRn; Grammy; married21; steelyourfaith; Mmogamer; ...
This is a *great* closeup, makes me think I'm a character in an Asimov short story.
2
posted on
11/28/2011 8:45:16 PM PST
by
SunkenCiv
(It's never a bad time to FReep this link -- https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
To: SunkenCiv
During 2012, Dawn is scheduled to blast away from Vesta and begin a long journey to the only asteroid belt object known to be larger: Ceres.Marooned off Vesta?
And then next it's Huge Ceres?
3
posted on
11/28/2011 8:46:02 PM PST
by
null and void
(This is day 1042 of America's ObamaVacation from reality.)
To: SunkenCiv
is there enough gravity for a landlside?
4
posted on
11/28/2011 8:49:40 PM PST
by
GeronL
(The Right to Life came before the Right to Pursue Happiness)
To: GeronL
Yes. A very slow landslide.
5
posted on
11/28/2011 8:50:21 PM PST
by
null and void
(This is day 1042 of America's ObamaVacation from reality.)
To: SunkenCiv
Where’s Bruce Willis when we need him??
6
posted on
11/28/2011 8:51:22 PM PST
by
Noob1999
(Loose Lips, Sink Ships)
To: null and void; KevinDavis
7
posted on
11/28/2011 8:52:59 PM PST
by
GeronL
(The Right to Life came before the Right to Pursue Happiness)
To: null and void
8
posted on
11/28/2011 8:58:57 PM PST
by
UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide
(REPEAL WASHINGTON! -- Islam Delenda Est! -- I Want Constantinople Back. -- Rumble thee forth.)
To: SunkenCiv
Probably large cavities in Vesta and one fell in.
9
posted on
11/28/2011 9:02:22 PM PST
by
UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide
(REPEAL WASHINGTON! -- Islam Delenda Est! -- I Want Constantinople Back. -- Rumble thee forth.)
To: SunkenCiv
2.2% the gravity of earth on the surface. Had to look it up.
A bullet shot 580 mph will go into orbit. A little faster and it is interstellar.
10
posted on
11/28/2011 9:06:14 PM PST
by
cicero2k
To: cicero2k; SunkenCiv
A bullet shot 580 mph [850 ft/sec]
will go into orbit. A little faster and it is interstellar. Wonder how much hold over/under & leading I'd have to hold, if I used a 180 grain Power Point 30-06 @ 2700 ft/second, and wanted to try hitting Emperor Cartagia or Londo Morinari...
11
posted on
11/29/2011 12:41:44 AM PST
by
ApplegateRanch
(Made in America, by proud American citizens, in 1946...and thankful for it!)
To: SunkenCiv
Unmanned space exploration is doing great.
12
posted on
11/29/2011 12:45:56 AM PST
by
Moonman62
(The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
To: SunkenCiv
That’s fracking awesome...thanks.
13
posted on
11/29/2011 12:56:22 AM PST
by
SaxxonWoods
(....The days are long, but the years are short.....)
To: SunkenCiv
Didn’t Fleetwood Mac write a Ceres Song about that?
To: SunkenCiv
It looks like a pile of flour with water-drop craters in it. There must be a solid core in there somewhere, but it does look like a pile of powder.
15
posted on
11/29/2011 4:37:38 AM PST
by
TheOldLady
(FReepmail me to get ON or OFF the ZOT LIGHTNING ping list)
To: ApplegateRanch
16
posted on
11/29/2011 7:11:44 PM PST
by
SunkenCiv
(It's never a bad time to FReep this link -- https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
To: ApplegateRanch; cicero2k; GeronL; left that other site; Moonman62; Noob1999; null and void; ...
17
posted on
11/29/2011 7:18:25 PM PST
by
SunkenCiv
(It's never a bad time to FReep this link -- https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
To: SunkenCiv
Sounds like I’d need to pick up some extra velocity, so would have to aim for a Jupiterian parabolic slingshot to a Martian parabolic slingshot to a solar hyperbolic slingshot to Centauri.
Makes aiming at Cartagia much more difficult; I’ll need more range time.
18
posted on
11/29/2011 9:25:29 PM PST
by
ApplegateRanch
(Made in America, by proud American citizens, in 1946...and thankful for it!)
To: left that other site
Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac wrote “Landslide,” the band performed it.
“I could see my relflection in the snow-covered hills,
And the landsclide brought me down......”
19
posted on
11/30/2011 5:14:20 AM PST
by
ixtl
( You live and learn. Or you don't live long.)
To: ixtl
Yes...one of my favorites! :-)
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