NASA's Dawn spacecraft beams back new photo

I wonder if that is a true color or B&W image? Notice how very monochromatic everyplace is except Earth? Even Mars is prety much the same color from top to bottom. Isn't it strange that even the giant volcano Olympus Mons is red? Volcanos here tend to be much darker, even black. The chemistry here on Earth that creates all the colors we take for granted seems to be a very unique feature in our solar system.

This is an anthropocentric observation. It is not surprising that our eyesight and ability to differentiate reflected light's frequency would be best suited to the place where we evolved. I do think it's a B&W though...

From the wiipedia site on the Dawn spacecraft

The framing camera uses 20 mm aperture, f/7.5 refractive optical system with a focal length of 150 mm.[34] A frame-transfer charge-coupled device (CCD), a Thomson TH7888A,[34] at the focal plane has 1024 × 1024 sensitive 93-rad pixels, yielding a wide field of view. An 8-position filter wheel permits panchromatic (clear filter) and spectrally selective imaging (7 narrow band filters). The broadest filter allows imaging from about 400 to 1050 nm.

So the camera is able to take color pictures (and also into the near infrared). I couldn't find exactly what kind of band filter was used for this particular photo.

Remember also that on earth the surface is subject to constant change (vegetation, weather/erosion, volcanic activity, ...) whereas on Mars or an asteroid stuff tends not to change for long times (so there's plenty of time for a layer of dust to settle on anything and give it a uniform color)

From the wiipedia site on the Dawn spacecraft

The framing camera uses 20 mm aperture, f/7.5 refractive optical system with a focal length of 150 mm.[34] A frame-transfer charge-coupled device (CCD), a Thomson TH7888A,[34] at the focal plane has 1024 by 1024 sensitive 93-rad pixels, yielding a wide field of view. An 8-position filter wheel permits panchromatic (clear filter) and spectrally selective imaging (7 narrow band filters). The broadest filter allows imaging from about 400 to 1050 nm.

So the camera is able to make color pictures (and also into the near infrared). What kind of band filter was used for this particular photo I don't know.

Remember also that on earth the surface is subject to constant change (vegetation, erosion, volcanic activity, ...) whereas on Mars or an asteroid stuff tends not to change for long times (so there's plenty of time for a layer of dust to settle on anything and give it a uniform color)

there's a little man down there! I can see his mouth moving...

Vesta has an Anus?

This is an anthropocentric observation. It is not surprising that our eyesight and ability to differentiate reflected light's frequency would be best suited to the place where we evolved

Our eyes are tuned to Sol, so there's not a bias as long as your still here in the solar system. This asteroid is illuminted by the same star as Earth.

thanks foor that antialias. Much appreciated input. We still don't know if they used the full color mode or a greyscale mode to enhance the pixel quality though.