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Chapter 15: Problem 50

A NASA spacecraft called Dawn is intended to go into orbit around two asteroids, 1 Ceres and 4 Vesta. Search the World Wide Web for information about this mission. Why were these two particular asteroids selected for study? What types of observations will the spacecraft make?

Short Answer

Expert verified
1 Ceres and 4 Vesta were chosen because they are the two most massive bodies in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, they provide an opportunity to study the building blocks of planet formation in the early solar system, and they also represent two distinct evolutionary paths that rocky planets can take. Observations that Dawn spacecraft makes include studying surface features, composition, and seeking clues about the asteroids' interior structure.

Step by step solution

01

Research about the Dawn Mission

Access the NASA's official website or any other trusted source to dig deeper into the mission. Look for information relating to the selection of 1 Ceres and 4 Vesta. Thorough internet research enables better understanding of the objectives behind the mission.
02

Note Down Key Information

Note down the important information found about 1 Ceres and 4 Vesta. This may include: their size, composition, location, and peculiar features which may have led NASA to the selection of these two asteroids for the mission. Part of this step also includes noting down the scientific objectives of the mission.
03

Identify types of Observations

Upon research, identify and note down the types of observations that the spacecraft was set to make. These could be related to chemical composition, geological structure, possible existence of water, etc.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Imagine that you are an astronaut standing on the surface of a Trojan asteroid. How will you see the phase of Jupiter change with the passage of time? How will you see Jupiter move relative to the distant stars? Explain your answers.

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