NASA's Dawn spacecraft, which arrived in orbit around the asteroid Vesta last month, has officialy begun its yearlong mission to spy on the giant space rock. The probe began studying Vesta from orbit ...

Up-close observations of the giant asteroid Vesta by NASA’s Dawn spacecraft have confirmed and provided new insights into more than 200 years of Earth-based observations, according to research led by ...

For years, astronomers treated Vesta as more than just an asteroid. With its rocky surface, distinct layers, and volcanic history, it seemed to be a miniature version of Earth—something between a rock ...

In 2011, NASA’s Dawn spacecraft arrived at its destination, enabling planetary scientists with the American space agency to study a particularly captivating asteroid in the asteroid belt called Vesta.

For decades, scientists believed Vesta, one of the largest objects in our solar system's asteroid belt, wasn't just an asteroid and eventually concluded it was more like a planet with a crust, mantle ...

Dwarf planet Vesta is helping scientists understand the early development of our solar system. CREDIT NASA Dawn mission The dwarf planet Vesta is helping scientists better understand the earliest era ...

EAST LANSING, Mich. – For decades, scientists believed Vesta, one of the largest objects in our solar system’s asteroid belt, wasn’t just an asteroid. They concluded that Vesta has a crust, mantle and ...