Bruce Murray Space Image Library

Vesta from only 190 kilometers away

Vesta from only 190 kilometers away
Vesta from only 190 kilometers away Seen up close, Vesta's surface is dominated by craters. Dawn took this view during its Low Altitude Mapping Orbit on December 30, 2011, from an altitude of 190 kilometers. The view spans about 18 kilometers. Whether you are looking at a high-resolution or a low-resolution image, various types of impact craters dominate Vesta's surface. The relatively large circular depressions in this image are older, heavily degraded impact craters. The craters with sharper rims are fresher craters. Clusters of small secondary craters were created by the impact of material and boulders that were ejected when larger primary craters formed. The center of the image is 18.6 degrees south latitude, 346.8 degrees east longitude. NASA / JPL-Caltech / UCLA / MPS / DLR / IDA