The operators have confirmed that the probe Dawn successfully entered orbit around the dwarf planet Ceres. This mission is unique in the history of space exploration.
The arrival of the probe to the destination
The official website of space agency NASA.
The signal confirming output Dawn into orbit of Ceres, was obtained
specialists Jet Propulsion Laboratory NASA at 16:46 Moscow
time. The unit was captured by the gravitational field of the planet about an hour before
this. The engine and the probe worked during convergence
normal mode.
In fact, to get to Ceres, the largest object in the asteroid belt
between Mars and Jupiter, the device took 7.5 years. During this time, he overcame 4.9
billion kilometers and made a stop around the giant asteroid Vesta.
Thus, Dawn became not only the first device, which went into orbit
dwarf planet, but also the first who visited just two object outside
Land.
In January probe Dawn
took video as Ceres revolves. In the last portion of pictures
passed on March 1 Ceres is similar to the dark crescent as the probe flew
thereto on the side facing away from the sun. Dawn will be on this side
until mid-April, after which he will be able to make a well-lit pictures
sections of the dwarf planet.
In addition, as we approach Dawn to Ceres became apparent two bright spots,
located in the 92-kilometer crater in the northern hemisphere of the planet. Perhaps
they are outputs ice. Recall recently by the Space
telescope "Herschel" astronomers
found that every second Ceres evaporates into space
about 6 kilograms of water vapor. Experts hope that the probe will help
to deal with this process.
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