Vesta

Hubble Reveals Huge Crater on the Surface of the Asteroid Vesta

[left] A NASA Hubble Space Telescope image of the asteroid Vesta, taken in May 1996 when the asteroid was 110 million miles from Earth. The asymmetry of the asteroid and "nub" and the south pole is suggestive that it suffered a large impact event. The image was digitally...

Topographic Map of Vesta's Surface

This topographic map of Vesta's surface, based on Hubble Space Telescope observations, is color coded to reveal altitude variations above a mean surface level. The southern pole is dominated by a depression (blue) which is a large impact feature.

Topographic Map of Vesta's Surface Modeled onto Elliptical Shape

A false-color topographic map, projected onto a model having Vesta's elliptical shape. A circular impact crater, with central peak, clearly dominates the southern hemisphere. The model has bee rotated at 90 degree intervals. The map is based on photo-analysis of Hubble Space...

Color-encoded Elevation Map of Vesta

A color-encoded elevation map of Vesta clearly shows the giant 285- mile diameter impact basin and "bull's-eye" central peak. The map was constructed from 78 Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 pictures. Surface topography was estimated by noting irregularities along the limb and at...

Computer Model of the Asteroid Vesta

A 3-D computer model of the asteroid Vesta synthesized from Hubble topographic data. The crater's 8-mile high central peak can clearly be seen near the pole. The surface texture on the model is artificial, and is not representative of the true brightness variations on the...

Animation of rotating 3-D Vesta model