Why Vesta and Ceres?
NASA scientists chose to study Vesta and Ceres not only because they are similarly large, but also because of their differences. It turns out the asteroids, which are in different regions of the asteroid belt, are very different from each other even though they evolved around the same time. Vesta is similar to the rocky inner planets Earth and Mars, while Ceres seems to be more like the icy moons and bodies in the outer solar system. By comparing the two asteroids, scientists hope to understand how rocky planets formed as well as how various planets developed in different ways. Until now, scientists have only estimated characteristics of Vesta and Ceres using images taken by telescopes and by studying meteorites that are believed to have come from Vesta. So far, scientists know the following about the two asteroids: –Vesta, which is about the size of Poland, is a dry asteroid. It is the only known asteroid that has very distinct light and dark areas on its surface, much like Earth’s m
