Geometry of the torque acting on the triaxial Vesta. The x,y axes represent the orientation of the equatorial plane of Vesta: the long and intermediate axes, respectively. The triaxiality induces a semi-diurnal periodic variation in the equatorial torque where the torque is maximum at positions 2 and 4 and minimum at positions 1 and 3. The behavior of the amplitude of the torque is represented in the shaded line. The ellipsoidal shape of the equatorial plane of Vesta has been exaggerated for the cartoon.