NASA tool enables citizen scientists to examine asteroid

NASA has announced the release of Vesta Trek, a free, web-based application that provides detailed visualisations of Vesta, one of the largest asteroids in our solar system, the US space agency said in a statement.

NASA's Dawn spacecraft studied Vesta from July 2011 to September 2012. Data gathered from instruments aboard Dawn have been compiled into Vesta Trek's user-friendly set of tools.

These tools will enable citizen scientists and students to study the asteroid's features.

"There's nothing like seeing something with your own eyes, but these types of detailed data-visualizations are the next best thing," said Kristen Erickson, director, Science Engagement and Partnerships at NASA headquarters in Washington DC.

The app has interactive maps with the ability to overlay a growing range of data sets including topography, mineralogy, abundance of elements and geology.

Vesta Trek also has analysis tools for measuring the diameter, height and depth of surface features and more apart from 3-D printer-exportable topography so users can print physical models of Vesta's surface. Its standard keyboard gaming controls can monitor a first person visualization of "flying" across the surface of the asteroid.

Vesta Trek was developed by NASA's Lunar Mapping and Modeling Project (LMMP) and it represents the first application of LMMP's capabilities to another world beyond the moon.