In these pages you will find information about Dawn, a NASA mission that was launched on September 2007, and the VIR Spectrometer (Visual and Infrared Spectrometer), an instrument by the italian INAF (Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica) that flies on it. Dawn will study two asteroids, Vesta and Ceres and in these pages, you will also learn about its scientific load, asteroids' science, the solar system, spacecraft technology, scientific instruments and much more.
Dawn appointments
Dawn Science Team Meeting in Rome 01/10/2012 – 04/10/2012
VIR in the italian press and at Press Conference at JPL (1° August)
New images by VIR are being distributed: read in the italian press ASI article and INAF last updates about Dawn and VIR (all in italian). New data from VIR will also be presented at JPL Press Conference on the 1st of August at JPL by Enrico Flamini (ASI) and Fabrizio Capaccioni (INAF). Follow the press conference in streaming video. http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl2
On June 8, 2011, the visible and infrared mapping spectrometer aboard NASA's Dawn spacecraft captured the instrument's first images of Vesta that are larger than a few pixels, from a distance of about 218,000 miles (351,000 kilometers). The images were taken for calibration purposes. Images obtained in the visible part of the light spectrum, at about 0.55 microns in wavelength, appear on the left. Images obtained in the infrared spectrum, at around 3 microns in wavelength, appear on the right. The spatial resolution of these images is about 60 miles (90 kilometers) per pixel. The visible and infrared mapping spectrometer will be able to provide images of Vesta in 432 wavelengths, which will help scientists determine the composition of Vesta. (click on the image for the real picture)
During the summer of 2011, Dawn begins exploring new worlds at its first target, asteroid Vesta. To know more about VIR's results at Vesta please visit this website in the next months. To know more about Dawn status, also visit http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/
October 2010: Hubble for Dawn NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured images of the large asteroid Vesta that will help refine plans for the Dawn spacecraft's rendezvous with Vesta in July 2011. Scientists have constructed a video from the images that will help improve pointing instructions for Dawn. Read NASA press Release
April 2010: Dawn Meeting at Tivoli, Italy On April 2010, dawn meeting took place in the city of tivoli, Italy. On this occasion, on April 15, scientists from NASA and INAF, with the collaboration of the City of Tivoli, present the Dawn space mission to the public and media at the historic Villa d'Este in Tivoli. Scientists of the Dawn science team are hosted in Italy for a meeting organized to make plans for the spacecraft's arrival next year at its’ first stop, the asteroid belt. The link between Dawn and the town of Tivoli is clear, since the first target of the space mission is an asteroid named Vesta, just as one of the most beautiful and historical monuments of Tivoli, the Vesta Temple.
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured images of the large asteroid Vesta that will help refine plans for the Dawn spacecraft's rendezvous with Vesta in July 2011. Scientists have constructed a video from the images that will help improve pointing instructions for Dawn. Read 
On April 2010, dawn meeting took place in the city of tivoli, Italy. On this occasion, on April 15, scientists from NASA and INAF, with the collaboration of the City of Tivoli, present the Dawn space mission to the public and media at the historic Villa d'Este in Tivoli. Scientists of the Dawn science team are hosted in Italy for a meeting organized to make plans for the spacecraft's arrival next year at its’ first stop, the asteroid belt. The link between Dawn and the town of Tivoli is clear, since the first target of the space mission is an asteroid named Vesta, just as one of the most beautiful and historical monuments of Tivoli, the Vesta Temple.
