Friday, December 25, 2015

Dawn gets close for Ceres' close-up



I just recently saw reported that NASA's magnificent Dawn probe has finished spiraling down to its mapping orbit above the surface of asteroid/minor planet Ceres. I don't know if this means it can gather any more insight into the composition of the bright spots (reportedly a magnesium sulphate salt with some included briny water ice), but now it's going to be very well-mapped. The maximum resolution is 35 meters (120 feet) at the mapping orbit altitude of 385 km (240 miles).

Dawn Journal, November 30


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