Hello There Vesta

NASA's Dawn spacecraft has entered orbit around the asteroid Vesta. This little spud was once considered a planet, but eventually it was moved to a new category called asteroid. It was the fourth object to be placed in that category, hence the complete name is 4 Vesta.

Dawn sent this image back to us. It is the first time a spacecraft has orbited an object in the main asteroid belt.



I think this is cool and all, but I am more looking forward to the second phase of Dawn's mission. The visit to the dwarf planet Ceres. Ceres is the biggest object in the asteroid belt (still smaller than the moon though) and is literally the original asteroid (named 1 Ceres, get it?). Oh yeah, and its mantle might be made out of water, and if so there might be more water on Ceres than on Earth.

For now though keep those pictures coming, NASA!