What We've Learned from the Dawn Mission So Far

The Dawn spacecraft has been exploring the two largest objects in the asteroid belt since 2007, and here's what we've learned so far!

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[llamaduck]

It has Dawned on me that I have a Vesta-d interest in this Cereously cool science.

[jnh]

So excited to see where this mission will go!

[orbemsolis]

Dammit. 3 minutes after video goes up and I still can't be first. But here's a meaningful comment:
Ceres is a new addition to the list of bodies with organic molecules and significant amounts of water ice.
Plus, in the exclusive class of "possibly used to have liquid water"

[mattfromeurope]

Most people would just shrug in indifference, but I am always amazed by news like this.

[afhdfh]

Thank you for always using the metric system!!!

[Thatpersonoverthere]

wow. fantastic coverage. this is my first sci show and it's fantastic. thank you very much!

[mynameismatt]

You're saying Ceres has oil? Sounds like they need some freedom.

[PepsiandLemonade]

I came to the comments wondering if there'd be shitposting about Vidcon because Hank was hosting this episode. 10/10 not disappointed.

Very interesting stuff though!

[dartmada]

I like this show. you guys explain stuff in a really straight forward not-too-scientific way. not like some people who try and fail miserably to 'dumb it down' because they treat regular people like they are idiots.

[lobaetoile]

Every time I watch a video about space I can't stop wondering about how scientists can explain and eventually prove all these theories, when the subjects are so far away. I've actually seen some videos/documentaries explaining this, but it still amazes me how the technology we use to investigate science has advanced. And I also think about how in the future we may discover things/details that could completely change what we believe/know about space... We could be so close to comprehend things... Or so fundamentally wrong.

[chillsahoy]

Actually whenever I'm about to have Epsom salts I think of...my old school, which was in Epsom, England. But thinking about space rocks is cool too!

[spookbumps]

The way we always find things in space and go "Well ok this used to happen" reminds almost as if an alien civilization would discover a post-apocalyptic earth and find only memories of our civilization. It almost seems as if the state of our solar system now is the result of a far-off catastrophe that we missed. It is only now that we find the remnants of what was and used to be.

[bramheesenarmwrestling]

Does Vesta have an electromagnetic field?

[jagx]

That last bit about a permanent travel buddy brings up an interesting(to me) question. Recognizing that it would of course take a silly amount of time to do so if it did : Would that tiny new moon be enough to alter an asteroid's orbit? I think I recall a small spacecraft's gravity being one of the methods to steer an asteroid out of impacting us. Could we have just set in motion a meeting in the far distant future between Ceres and Mars? These are the kinds of things that pop into my head.... :)

[veggiet]

Ha! I read "Basaltic" as "Balsamic" at first, lol

[Andygon]

the fact that one rock has made contact with us multiplie times makes me wanna ask questions @-@

[DrRChandra]

So will there be a SciShow series on Ceres?

[limiv]

I saw the blue dots on Ceres and thought "Protomolecule!"

[vonneely]

NASA: Makers of all the neat junk that the aliens will be studying long after humans have gone bye-bye.

[MacoveiVlad]

The part about meteorites from this asteroid found on Earth made me think about an interesting collision mechanic. Although in this case the fragments found oi Earth are probably pieces thrown in space by a collision of the asteroid with another asteroid, i imagine it would be possible for an asteroid to have a certain velocity and angle of impact so that it does not disintegrate but instead bounces/skips. I believe that much more of the atmosphere would be lost in space in comparison to a direct hit. As the atmosphere would be "dragged" by the partially intact asteroid.

*Does this make sense?*