Vesta heavenly body. Minor planets - Juno, Ceres, Vesta, Pallas. Sky Police and Asteroid Vesta

Vesta in the horoscope is associated with the sign of Virgo, but she also has an affinity with the sign of Scorpio. In the original Zodiac of Assyrian culture, there was no Libra constellation: Virgo was followed by Scorpio, and what later became Libra were the claws of Scorpio.

Vesta in the horoscope

The symbols of Virgo and Scorpio are similar, only the sign of Virgo is directed inward, and Scorpio is directed outward. The Great Mother Goddess symbolized both Virgo's chastity and Scorpio's marriage at the same time. And only in patriarchal culture, the sign of Libra's marriage created an artificial separation of female roles (virginity before marriage and sexuality after). The discovery of Vesta shows the possibility of combining these two themes in one archetype.

In general, Vesta reflects the principle of sex as a means of spiritual service. However, in the modern psyche, it often presents a wide range of sexual difficulties resulting from the suppression of natural instincts.

Vesta in signs describes 12 styles of focusing, making commitments and what we must give up in order to fulfill our life purpose. She also describes the way sexual energy is dealt with: its freedom, sublimation or suppression.

Vesta in houses indicates an area of ​​commitment or dedication to something, as well as an area of ​​limitations (this once again emphasizes the connection of Vesta with the sign of Capricorn and allows us to consider her as its ruler. - Approx. Per.).

Vesta in the signs of the horoscope

Vesta in the sign Aries

People work with strong commitment. Motivation comes from within and they work better on their own and with their own ideas. Kinks occur if a person is so involved in the whirlpool of his activity that he leaves no room for others to participate in it. Finding this place can lead to wonderful personal accomplishments.

Vesta in the sign Taurus

Better focusing of energy in a stable state. They are persistent and constant like rocks when they see tangible results of their efforts. Difficulties arise from their inflexibility. Sexuality is based on the natural release of natural instincts. If there is no sexual satisfaction, sexuality can be stressful. A pragmatic, albeit acceptable, approach to sexuality and comfort requires material justification.

Vesta in the sign Gemini

Concentration is facilitated by the spoken word and the information received. Good coordination. Alienation arises through excessive intellectualization and loss of meaning in words. Mental exchange means a lot in sexual relationships. However, these people also tend to use words to create distance between themselves and others. The mind should not be allowed to dominate the emotions.

Vesta in Cancer

For an active business, a person must feel needed by others. A sympathetic connection with families and those who depend on them allows them to turn on the tap of the reservoir of working energy. Due to emotional hypersensitivity, it is possible to withdraw into oneself, which is caused by the desire to protect oneself from real or imagined dangers from others.

Sexual satisfaction occurs when a person feels loved and cared for. And the feeling of their insecurity prompts the breakdown of the relationship. Emotional stability is essential for relationships.

Vesta in the sign Leo

A person works best when he is given creative freedom. The desire to be proud of your work is aimed at the desire to beautifully present the result. Since this personality emanates a radiance, alienation can arise if its brilliance is<сжигать>others, as well as from her arrogance and arrogance. Romanticism and admiration awaken a sexy response. However, sexuality is held back if the energy of reproduction is directed only to one's own creative endeavors.

Vesta in the sign Virgo

Strong concentration in work. The incentive is to strive for improvement. The tendency to be overwhelmed and the habit of criticism removes from others. Sex is seen as a service to comfort the other or as a duty. The natural response may be hindered by the shortcomings of others. With the harmonization of this moment, a much greater efficiency in activity is achieved (Martin Luther).

Vesta in the sign of Libra

A person prefers to work with others more than on his own. He tries to attract others to work and to benefit from their contributions. But because Libra needs to compare themselves to others, a strong moment of competition arises. The need to be recognized as an equal and reproaches about<взятого и отданного>- an important factor in sexual relationships.

However, since there is a need to be accepted and admired by him, a person is forced to put aside his own needs and desires. Striking the right balance between personal inclinations and the preferences of others is vital.

Vesta in the sign of Scorpio

Such people often seek depth and are careful in all undertakings. Sex is viewed as the ultimate experience, despite all the social taboos. On the other hand, an individual may have feelings of guilt, sin, and shame that lead him to suppress sexuality. Strongest concentration and dedication are available.

Vesta in the sign of Sagittarius

A person concentrates well when he works for something that he believes in. The ideal awakens his energy to work. Alienation arises if he promotes his view, regardless of the beliefs of others. Finding the truth or adventure stimulates sexual activity, and a lack of honesty can undermine relationships. These people can also turn sexual impulses into action. The confusion of these aspects forms the practical idealists and mystics who are traumatized by the material world.

Vesta in the sign Capricorn

It is best to work with discipline and consistency. Effort at work is often motivated by ambition or the drive to succeed. The ability to formulate and execute plans leads to success in administrative work. Adherence to rules and regulations can lead to being overly rigid. Responsibility is essential for the completeness of the sexual relationship.

There may be a fear of sexual intimacy or emotionality if associated with being critical or losing power and control. Great strides can be made. These people are expected to succeed through paying off their debts.

Vesta in the sign Aquarius

It is best for a person to work for humanistic, social or political motivation: the ideal of freedom for himself and others. Alienation can be due to insufficient attention to the needs of loved ones. There is often rebellion against power figures. Sexual response stimulates the unusual, and the person engages in sexual relations with friends on a non-profit and non-responsible basis.

Vesta in the sign of Pisces

The soul receives energy to work in service to others. There is a difficulty in finding a point of application of one's strength due to the vague goals. Such a person can play the role of a martyr and make others feel guilty for his suffering. The ability to heal others through sexual interaction or the sublimation of sexuality into spiritual realization.

A person can feel that his sexuality belongs to everyone who needs it, and that no one alone has a right to it. Mixing dream and reality, in poetry and in practice.

Vesta in the houses of the horoscope

Vesta in the 1st house of the horoscope

Through a strong focus on self-determination or pursuing one's own goals, there may be a tendency to exclude long-term relationships from life. One-pointedness and abstinence can lead to significant gains. Loyalty to yourself.

Vesta in the II house of the horoscope

The ability to generate resources to provide and support yourself and your loved ones. There may be limitations in money, comfort and feelings in such a way that the created tension leads to the study of the art of self-manifestation (Catherine II - conjunction with Mars).

Vesta in the III house of the horoscope

The purpose of the advanced mind is to spread information among others. Communication restrictions may arise in order to clarify their own ideas. If a person is critical of himself, he may feel a sense of inferiority in his intellect. This situation is characterized by work with the intellect (Hermann Hesse, conjunction with the Moon in Pisces).

Vesta in the 4th house of the horoscope

Devotion to home and family. Often the added responsibility in the home in youth grows into responsibilities towards the family afterwards. Such a person may experience limitations in personal freedom due to these obligations. An efficient and qualified approach to household chores is required.

Vesta in the V house of the horoscope

A vocation for personal creative expression - in children or art forms. Alienation from children, romance and pleasure may be present. Due to the excessive sublimation of sexual energy, obstacles in this area may arise. There is a need for a creative profession or for something that puts a person in the spotlight.

Vesta in the VI house of the horoscope

Devotion to work and efficient operation. Health problems can draw attention to self-medication, nutritional care, and exercise. The incentive to improve can lead to very good work.

Vesta in the VII house of the horoscope

A vocation to work in cooperation. But since Vesta craves self-fulfillment and independence, conflict can arise in cases where a compromise is required. Often a person is overly engrossed in interaction.

Vesta in the 8th house of the horoscope

A vocation for mental and occult activities or deep interaction with others. It can also be difficult for these people to find someone to match their sexual intensity, and thus, they may feel limited in this area. Difficulties with others about the allocation of resources - monetary and energy - can lead to learning how to give up personal desires and share property.

Vesta in the IX house of the horoscope

A vocation to seek the truth. Over-focusing on a belief system can lead to political or religious fanaticism. Limitation of the breadth of horizons. The ideal image must be found in the material world.

Vesta in the X house of the horoscope

Concentrating on a career or position in society. Closeness to MCs can indicate a spiritual calling. It can be difficult to find a satisfying destination and path if critical abilities are developed. Potential talents include tremendous discipline, thoroughness and the will to work hard.

Vesta in the XI house of the horoscope

Calling for group interaction. There may be limitations in friends or company, and from this a person understands the value of others in his life. There is a need to merge hopes and desires together so that a person can devote himself to an ideal.

Vesta in the XII house of the horoscope

Dedication to selfless service and spiritual values. There is a strong subconscious need for isolation and withdrawal in order to develop deep faith. Persecution for religious beliefs or fear of past mistakes can lead to fear of entering into spiritual nature. There may be subconscious sexual fears and barriers that are overcome by combining the desire for the infinite with a practical assessment of the physical world and its limitations.

Aspects of Vesta horoscope

Aspects of the Sun - Vesta horoscope

Self-fulfillment, work, and a sense of duty are at the core of life goals. Harmonious aspects: high level of personal integration. Devotion to the ideal and seriousness of intentions. These people can live according to their defined sexual values ​​and avoid having relationships (Carl Jung, Leo conjunction - the psychology of self-integration; Charles Dickens, in Aquarius, on IC).

Stressed: Failure to find a satisfying career. Fear of intimacy and commitment. Mental anxiety and stress due to a sense of the futility of the chosen direction in life. Excessive self-absorption can lead to alienation from others. Solving the problem in the development of a target focus and integration of the energy of the individual with her vision of the world.

Aspects of the Moon - Vesta horoscope

Concentration goes hand in hand with emotional responsibility. Harmonious aspects: fruitfulness, strong desire to take care of others. Understanding without words and emotional response. Free and open attitude towards sex. (Baudelaire is in Cancer, square to the Sun in Aries).

Intense: fear of intimacy and alienation from the emotional needs of others. An overly emotional look inside oneself. There may be infertility. The solution to the problem is to understand the essence of moral restrictions and sexual standards. Therapy can be used to help the individual release sexual and emotional energy.

Aspects of Mercury - Vesta horoscope

The need to focus on thoughts and in the process of communication. Restlessness in purposeful practical creativity. Harmonious aspects: highly developed intellect, able to focus and direct one's thoughts. An incentive to express ideas or devote oneself to teaching. Such a person can succeed in scientific research or as an agent, mediator, medium.

Intense: difficulties in communication - excessive accuracy in words, or, conversely, irresponsibility and vagueness. A crystalline mental glance within oneself, the quirks of the intellect, or simply a focused study of a situation. Sometimes there can be sexual problems due to lack of communication with a partner. The solution to the problem is to clarify personal goals and thoughts and release unnecessary intellectual baggage. A clear mental process leads to clear communication.

Aspects of Venus - Vesta horoscope

Individual and independent attitude towards intimate relationships. Harmonious aspects: the ability to combine femininity with individual self-expression. A keen understanding of female psychology. Sublimation of sexual energy for the sake of art or a spiritual path.

Tense: Indicate a conflict between independence or work needs and relationship needs, leading to alienation from people. They can mean puritanism, psychological coldness or frigidity, or, conversely, a tendency to debauchery. The integration process makes it easier to develop your own sexual rules.

Aspects of Mars - Vesta horoscope

The ability of volitional concentration of energy. Harmonious aspects: ability to combine autonomy with intimate relationships, sensitivity and mastery in sexual expression. The ability to sublimate sexual energy into a fight for a cause is a spiritual warrior. (Harriet Beecher Stowe, conjunction in Scorpio - the fight against slavery)

Tense: Limitations in the expression of male energy, which can lead to psychological coldness or impotence. Indecision in a responsible situation. Aggressiveness as compensation. The solution to the problem in the study of the management of energy, incentives and will, a clear presentation of the goal.

Aspects of Juno - Vesta horoscope

An evolutionary path that begins with human autonomy and ends with his reunification with the rest. Harmonious aspects: the ability to make serious commitments towards others. These individuals are committed to cleansing and perfecting partnerships, which often take the form of a sexually charged spiritual union.

Tense: alienation from relationships or isolation within them. Sometimes sacrificing yourself to a partner or being overly involved in a relationship. Sexual domination and control as part of the interaction. Integration is an individual role within a responsible relationship.

Aspects of Jupiter - Vesta horoscope

Social assessment of your vocation. Harmonious Aspects: Purpose to Follow Truth and Knowledge. These individuals have the ability to synthesize large-scale pictures in detail. Sexual power can be sublimated in the realm of politics, teaching, or spiritual initiation.

Intense: The conflict between one's own philosophy and what serves the good of the wider whole. These people can believe that only their philosophy is valuable as truth, that is, they are the pillars of religion. Sometimes such a person seeks to surpass himself and therefore is unable to fulfill his promises. Another difficulty is the overemphasis on sexual power. The solution to the problem is to expand the goal to include social and cultural forms.

Aspects of Saturn - Vesta horoscope

Intense concentration and dedication. Harmonious aspects: self-discipline, seriousness of purpose and the ability to fulfill aspirations and hopes through hard work and dedication. Once realized, these aspirations are based on a solid and reliable foundation. Commitment to home and commitment. (Gauguin, conjunction in Pisces, in opposition to Ceres in Virgo, left his wife and five children to follow his artistic vocation in Polynesia. Nietzsche, in Aquarius, in the II house).

Tense: conflict between personal needs and responsibilities to others. Seeking to avoid commitment or suffering under the weight of an overly burdensome responsibility. A high standard of excellence for yourself and others. Problems can stem from preoccupation with work, excessive ambition, or sexual constraints. Problem solving is about developing a harmonious approach to fulfilling your duty so that you experience personal joy and satisfaction from it.

Aspects of Uranus - Vesta horoscope

Original or universal impulses on which a personal calling is based. Harmonious Aspects: Mind concentrating on new or intuitive ideas. Scientific or occult research. Ability to devote oneself to new political, spiritual and religious views. Such people sometimes defend sexual freedom and the principle of non-possession in sexual relationships.

Intense: the conflict between focusing on action and striving for new things and change. This can lead to rebellion against commitment and anarchic behavior. In sexual behavior, deviations from traditional sexual and ethical codes. The solution to the problem is to devote oneself to innovations and reforms that would ensure constructive change in the old order, or the construction of functional structures of the new order. (Leonardo da Vinci, opposition).

Aspects of Neptune - Vesta horoscope

Devotion to spiritual or artistic ideals. Harmonious aspects: sexual union as a means of achieving the mystical unity of Neptune. A depth of compassion that can lead to a commitment to serving the world. Spiritual or artistic vocation (Salvador Dali,<фотограф снов>, many of which have a sexual interpretation - conjunction).

Intense: Diffusion of purpose and misunderstanding of commitment. Wrong perception of reality, which leads to unnecessary self-denial and self-sacrifice. Spiritual or sexual frustrations or a desire to avoid work. The solution to the problem is to use the power of Vesta in order to effectively interact with physical reality and other dimensions (Goya, the spokesman for the reality of the unconscious, is the opposition).

Aspects of Pluto - Vesta horoscope

A sense of commitment to transforming society. Harmonious aspects: the ability to focus large amounts of energy in order to reach a different reality. Transformation of sexuality for regeneration, healing and enlightenment. This aspect can mean a call to use power in the service of spiritual or social ideals.

Tense: The conflict between the use of power for personal and impersonal ends. This can block the desire for power and release it in a destructive manner. Compulsive sexual urges, exaggerated fear of death, paranoia and over-preoccupation with oneself may occur. Feelings of isolation from society may also arise. The solution is to focus on constructive social change. (Hitler, semi-square).

Demeter George, astrologer

The celestial body, subject to cloudless weather, will be visible from 17:00 Wednesday to 07:00 Thursday at the latitude of Moscow. Such cities as Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Chelyabinsk, Omsk, Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk are located at the same latitude. You need to look for an asteroid in the southeastern part of the sky, between the constellations Leo and Gemini.

Vesta goes around the Sun in an almost circular orbit: at the farthest point, it is 2.6 thousand times farther from the star than the Earth, in the nearest one - 2.2 times. The path of Vesta runs along the main asteroid belt, which lies between Mars and Jupiter. The asteroid makes one revolution around the Sun in 3.63 years. The closest distance that Vesta can come to Earth is 177 million km.

It can be a shame to miss the confrontation between the Sun and the asteroid: Vesta is the only asteroid that is visible to the naked eye and looks like a rather dim star. Its brightness will be 6.2 magnitude. The fact is that the magnitude scale has the opposite meaning: the lower the indicator, the brighter the light (for comparison: one of the brightest stars - Polaris - has a magnitude of 1.97). It will be possible to consider Vesta later, but for this you will have to arm yourself with a telescope. The asteroid will continue its path across the sky, move from the constellation of Cancer towards Gemini and move on.

Messenger from Vesta

It is curious that the inhabitants of the Earth were probably lucky enough to touch Vesta. In the 1960s, a meteorite fell in Australia. After analyzing later chemical composition fragment and having studied the data of spectral analysis, scientists came to the conclusion that it could have split off precisely from Vesta. A meteorite measuring 9.6x8.1x8.7 cm consists of the pyroxene mineral, which is formed during periods of lava flooding. Its structure indicates that the mineral itself was once in a molten state. Probably, Vesta survived a powerful collision with another object, after which at least one of its fragments fell to Earth.

The closest mankind got to the asteroid was NASA's Dawn mission. The automatic interplanetary station entered orbit Vesta in July 2011 and continued to explore it until September 2012. In one of the first images taken during the mission from a distance of 1.2 million km, the asteroid appears as a bright glowing spot due to the very large amount of light reflected by Vesta. The real dimensions of the celestial body are much more modest.

• Image of the giant asteroid Vesta taken by the spacecraft "Dawn"
• Reuters

Didn't come out tall

Dawn mission confirms Hubble telescope data: in southern hemisphere the asteroid, which is more than 500 km across, has a huge impact crater Reyasilvia. Its diameter is almost 460 km, and its depth is 12. Traces of many other collisions are visible on the surface.

Vesta, which was apparently formed during the formation of the solar system - about 4.6 billion years ago, has an iron-nickel core, a crust formed partially from solidified lava, and many traces of volcanic activity. The basalt surface, which reflects light well, is precisely the reason for the brightness of the asteroid. On Vesta, signs of the presence of water were found, there is its own Everest (it is almost three times higher than the Earth) and an interesting attraction - a series of craters called "Snowman".

• A series of craters "Snowman" on the asteroid Vesta

The structure and history of the formation of Vesta make it somewhat similar to the Earth and other planets. For this reason, it is also called a protoplanet, which never grew to the appropriate size.

The asteroid Vesta was discovered on March 29, 1807 by Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers and is one of the brightest asteroids that can be observed from Earth on a clear night. Located in the asteroid belt, between Mars and Jupiter. This asteroid has always attracted scientists, as it is very similar to a planet that suffered from a collision with some huge object more than two million years ago. Despite the fact that the age of the asteroid is almost the same as that of the planet Earth, in the pictures it looks like a nascent planet. Usually small objects of the solar system (satellites, asteroids), devoid of a magnetic field and not protected by a powerful atmosphere, inevitably "age" from the effects of cosmic dust, meteorite strikes, solar wind... But the surface of this asteroid for some reason looks like that of a young planet that has not undergone cosmic weathering (darkening of the surface). To clarify all these mysteries, more accurate information was needed than that which is available only through a telescope. And on September 27, 2007, NASA's Dawn space probe was launched - the first space mission to West. Already on June 1, 2011, the Dawn space probe obtained the first images of Vesta, which showed the rotation of the asteroid. On September 5, 2012, the device "Dawn", having completed the work on collecting and transmitting data, left orbit around Vesta and headed towards Ceres. Dawn made 78 observations of Vesta - the highest quality in the history of such an interplanetary mission. An amazing discovery was the discovery in the southern hemisphere of Vesta of two huge craters, partially overlapping each other. The first has a diameter of 395 km, and the second is 505 km, which is almost 90% of the diameter of Vesta itself. Also, noticeable gravity anomalies were discovered and the first gravity map of Vesta was compiled. According to gravimetric measurements, Vesta's material is concentrated towards the center, possibly forming an iron core. The asteroid's axis is tilted by about 27 degrees, that is, more than the earth's (23.5 degrees). For comparison: the moon's axis, which has craters constantly in the shadow, is tilted only by about one and a half degrees. As a result, the seasons change on Vesta, and each part of its surface sees the Sun at some point.

Vesta. Astrological context.

Vesta is a goddess who keeps the eternal and holy fire of spiritual development, transformation, purification and enlightenment. From an astrological point of view, it develops vigilance and responsibility in a person, ethical concerns. It serves to maintain life, without taking part in it itself. Position in natal chart indicates those areas of life where a person can do something more and sacrifice himself for the common good. Where Vesta is, we must allow the other person to see what we consider dearest, but often the most vulnerable. If Vesta has a connection with the planets of relationships, then such people are always set up for a serious relationship, frivolity is not in their style. They would rather be alone than frivolous and unsuitable partners. For example, the Vesta-Luna interaction gives a sense of belonging, and day after day after we meet, we share this feeling with those we love. Such people simply will not tolerate relationships that do not allow this. In the dynamic development of the horoscope, Vesta manifests itself especially vividly in such events as marriage, divorce, childbirth (the child comes into the family), change of place of residence. Less actively and not always Vesta participates in the formation of instructions for the purchase or sale of real estate, travel, the appearance of a new family member in the apartment. This happens, for example, in directorates - by aspecting Vesta with the rulers and cusps of the "marriage" houses - I, III, IV, VII, X. Moreover, as expected, Vesta both gives aspects from its directional position and receives them to their natal position. For example, in the year of divorce, she stands on the cusp of crisis houses (IV, VIII, XII), has a configuration with Nodes, a connection or a negative aspect with the rulers of "marriage" or crisis houses. In any case, the use of the asteroid West is additional important information when reading the horoscope.

The Dawn spacecraft acquired this image on July 17, 2011. It was about 15,000 kilometers (9,500 miles) from Vesta. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / UCLA / MPS / DLR / IDA.

Vesta is the second most massive object in the asteroid belt, second only to Ceres, which is classified as a dwarf planet. Vesta - the brightest asteroid in the sky - is sometimes visible from Earth with the naked eye. This is the first asteroid to be visited by a spacecraft. The Dawn mission showed us Vesta in 2011, providing new insights into this rocky world.

In 1596, having studied planetary orbits, Johannes Kepler came to the conclusion that a planet must exist in the region between Mars and Jupiter. The mathematical calculations of Johann Daniel Titius and Johann Elert Bode in 1772, later known as Titius-Bode's law, seemed to support this prediction. In August 1798, a group of astronomers began a search for this missing planet. Among the latter was the German astronomer Heinrich Olbers. Olbers discovered the second known at that time asteroid - Pallada. In his letter to astronomers, he outlined the theory of the origin of these asteroids.

“Ceres and Pallas may be just a couple of fragments ... of a once-larger planet that was once between Mars and Jupiter,” he wrote.

Olbers believed that the fragments of this planet would intersect at the point of destruction and on the opposite side of the orbit. He observed these two areas and discovered Vesta on March 29, 1807, becoming the first person to detect two asteroids.

Vesta is unique among asteroids in that the light and dark areas on its surface are similar to those of the Moon. Ground-based observations showed that the asteroid has basaltic regions, which means that in the past, lava flowed along its surface. It has an irregular shape, about the same as that of a flattened spheroid.

When Vesta approached Earth in 1996, the Hubble Space Telescope displayed some of the object's topographic features. For example, a large crater at the south pole, which averages about 460 kilometers in diameter, while Vesta itself is only 530 kilometers across. The crater is about 13 kilometers deep and, most likely, it was formed due to a large collision in the early period of the asteroid's life. The material ejected from this collision gave rise to a number of smaller - vestoid asteroids that orbit their parent, as well as meteorites that crashed into Earth.

Unlike most asteroids, Vesta's structure is differentiated. Like planets, the asteroid has a chilled lava crust that covers its rocky mantle and a nickel-iron core. These properties are an argument in favor of the fact that Vesta should be considered a protoplanet and not an asteroid.

In fact, if not for Jupiter, Vesta would have a good chance of becoming a planet.

“The speeds in the asteroid belt were really high, and the higher the speed, the more difficult it is for planetesimals to combine,” said David O'Brien of the Tucson, Arizona Institute.

In 1960, a fireball that swept in the sky over Australia, as it turned out later, was part of Vesta. Composed almost entirely of pyroxene, the meteorite has the same spectral characteristics as Vesta.

In October 2010, the Hubble Space Telescope focused again on West. The data obtained showed that the tilt of the asteroid is about four degrees greater than the researchers previously thought. This data helped NASA place the Dawn spacecraft in polar orbit around the asteroid.

The Dawn spacecraft, which has been studying the asteroid since 2012, found that the rocky body has a surprisingly large amount of hydrogen on its surface. He also discovered bright reflective areas that may have appeared after his birth.

“Our analysis has shown that this vibrant material has not undergone significant changes since the formation of Vesta - more than 4 billion years ago,” said Jian-Yang Li.

At the south pole of Vesta there is a huge mountain that reaches an altitude of over 20 kilometers (65,000 feet), making it almost as tall as Mount Olympus on Mars. Olympus is the most big mountain(and a volcano) in the solar system. It rises 24 kilometers (15 mi) above the surface of Mars.

In addition, astronomers believe that liquid water existed on the asteroid. Images from the Dawn spacecraft show curved ravines and fan-shaped deposits in eight different Vesta craters. All eight craters are believed to have formed in the past several hundred million years, which is relatively recent for an asteroid 4.5 billion years old.

“No one expected to find evidence of water on West, because its surface is very cold and it has no atmosphere, which would quickly evaporate any water on its surface,” said Jennifer Scully, a graduate student at University of Los Angeles.

Dawn also found signs of hydrated minerals (materials containing water molecules) on Vesta's surface, which could also hint at the presence of subsurface ice.

The second largest and brightest object in the main asteroid belt is called Vesta. If it were not for the most powerful collision in antiquity, Vesta would have been classified as a dwarf planet.
Discovery history

As in the situation with the discovery of all asteroids of the main belt, the history of the discovery of Vesta began with the search for the missing planet in orbit between Mars and Jupiter (which can be found in more detail in the article on the main asteroid belt). Vesta was first discovered by the German astronomer Heinrich Olbers in 1807. The name of the new object in the solar system, with Olbers' permission, was given by another German astronomer of that time - Karl Gauss. He chose the name Vesta, in honor of the ancient Roman goddess of home and home.
Asteroid characteristics
The generally accepted designation of asteroids assumes that the name of the object is preceded by its serial number, in the order of the discovery of asteroids. Vesta was the fourth open object in the main belt, therefore its designation is (4) Vesta. Vesta is the most massive asteroid in the main asteroid belt, accounting for 9% of the mass of the entire Main belt. But Vesta is inferior in size to (2) Pallas and the dwarf planet Ceres. The diameter of the asteroid is 560 km. At the same time, Vesta is the brightest object of the main asteroid belt, even brighter than Ceres, whose diameter is almost 2 times larger than Vesta. The surface of the asteroid is covered with basaltic rocks, similar to those that erupt from volcanoes on Earth. Such rocks have a higher light reflectance than the carbonaceous minerals that cover Ceres. Therefore, Vesta is brighter than Ceres and other asteroids of the main belt. Despite its small size, Vesta can be observed even with the naked eye on a dark night, far from artificial lighting.
Vesta's orbit lies in the inner region of the main asteroid belt. The average distance from the Sun is 2.4 astronomical units. One revolution around the Sun takes 3.6 Earth years, and one revolution around its axis takes 5 hours and 20 minutes. The temperature on the surface of the asteroid ranges from -190 ° C in winter and can rise to -3 ° C in summer.
The shape of Vesta is close to spherical and would be so if two powerful collisions with other asteroids did not occur. It is believed that about 2 billion years ago, Vesta experienced the first collision. The crater formed from this impact is called Veneneia. Its diameter is about 400 km. A little less than a billion years later, Vesta experienced another, already more powerful collision. The consequence was the impact crater Resylvia, with a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the asteroid itself - 500 km. The depth of the crater is 19 km, and in the center there is a peak 23 km high from the base of the crater. The impact was so strong that furrows formed at the equator of the asteroid due to the compression of the rock. Their length is 465 km, and the average width is about 10 km, in depth they can reach 5 km. (In the video below.)
So, if not for the impact craters that disfigured the appearance of the asteroid, today Vesta would be classified as a dwarf planet.
The collision of Vesta with another asteroid allowed scientists to study the inner composition of Vesta even before the Dawn spacecraft entered its orbit in 2011. The fact is that a large amount of debris was thrown into outer space from the impact. It is estimated that Vesta has lost about 1% of its volume. These debris subsequently fell on other bodies in the solar system and on the Earth in the form of meteorites. The study of the chemical composition of these meteorites allowed scientists to make the assumption that Vesta is a protoplanet (planetary embryo). Its internal chemical composition is similar to that of the Earth.
Young Vesta possessed a sufficient amount of internal heat, her bowels were melted as a result of the decay of heavy radioactive elements. In addition, a process of internal differentiation took place, when heavy elements move to the center of a celestial body, and lighter ones are displaced closer to the surface. The molten core of a young asteroid and further differentiation of the bowels, allow us to speak about the planetary structure of Vesta.
Throughout the history of the solar system, asteroids with a metallic core have been destined to collapse due to collisions with other objects. As a result, many smaller bodies were formed. And only Vesta was lucky enough to survive to this day in almost its original form. Thus, Vesta is the only representative of protoplanets that has survived to this day, from which such planets as Earth, Mars, Venus and Mercury were subsequently formed. Vesta is an excellent object for studying the processes that took place in the protoplanets of the young solar system.

Computer model made on the basis of images obtained from NASA's comic apparatus "Dawn". In the video:
1. Furrows of Divalia formed as a result of a collision with another cosmic body.
2. Crater Marcius, the largest crater in the series of "snowman" craters, 58 km in diameter.
3. Dome of Aricius, 5 km high and 39 km in diameter.

P.S. New space oddities were discovered by the tireless alien artifact seeker Joseph P. Skipper (Investigator). He and his numerous colleagues - virtual archaeologists - are looking for unusual objects, examining in detail the images from other planets and other celestial bodies posted on official websites. And they find it.
This time the attention of "archaeologists" was attracted by the asteroid Vesta - the second largest in the solar system. Its diameter is 550 kilometers. Almost a planet.
Vesta is located between Mars and Jupiter - in the asteroid belt. And according to one of the very popular hypotheses, this belt is the remains of the destroyed planet Phaethon. And on it - this is already on another hypothesis - once there was life. Perhaps even reasonable. That is, with the locals who have reached high level development. It seems that Skipper and his colleagues have found confirmation of this fantasy. They made out on Vesta the remains of two technical objects at once.

Near the asteroid is now the American robotic probe Dawn, which approached it on December 12, 2011. The probe is transmitting high-resolution images to Earth. NASA posts them on its official website (NASA Photojournal).

So, in one of the pictures, it was possible to make out a disk, partially hidden under a layer of soil. And partially destroyed. The object is very similar to a crashed "flying saucer". In our presentation, of course, about "flying saucers".