Albedo variations across Vesta

Filed under pretty pictures, asteroids, asteroid 4 Vesta, Dawn

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Vesta's surface shows a wide variety in "albedo," or reflectivity. This hints at color variations but in a grayscale image like this one it's impossible to know whether the reflectivity variations are accompanied by color variations. This photo was taken while Dawn was in Survey Orbit, on August 11, 2011.

NASA / JPL / UCLA / MPS / DLR / IDA

Original image data dated on or about August 11, 2011