Ceres

[Ray McCarthy]

Ceres is a Dwarf planet, the only one in the Asteroid belt. Not as exciting as Pluto, perhaps. New Dawn is sending back pictures.

Its diameter is approximately 945 kilometres (587 miles), making it the largest of the minor planets within the orbit of Neptune. The thirty-third largest known body in the Solar System, it is the only one within the orbit of Neptune that is designated a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union.

New NASA maps released.

Some mysteries:

• The bright spots
• The pimple / flat top pyramid.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/07/28/nasa_releases_topological_maps_of_ceres/

EDIT Scroll down here for recent updates of bright spots, pyramid mountain and maps

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceres_(dwarf_planet)

 

[hardsciencefanagain]

EVERYTHING in the solar system is exciting

 

[Venusian Broon]

EVERYTHING in the solar system is exciting

I generally agree, but I didn't find Peterborough that exciting the last time I visited the place. So there are always exceptions to the rule.

 

[hardsciencefanagain]

Spotted you here with three other guys,and four beer.You had a whale of a time,by the looks of it
and stop twisting my words,you know perfectly well what i meant

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Bright spots on Ceres may be salt.

Ceres' salty history hints at bright spot origin

Earlier

NASA's Dawn probe has returned some new images of the bright spots seen on Ceres.

Dawn probe sees Ceres' spots in more detail - BBC News

The US space agency has released a new picture of the brightest spots on the dwarf planet Ceres.

Nasa's Dawn probe has just returned the image - one of the first snapshots to come down from the satellite since getting into its latest mapping orbit, which is now just 4,000km above the surface.

Mission scientists confess still to being puzzled by the features.

The best guess is that their brightness stems from the presence of ice or salt.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Dawn Probe reaches closest point to Ceres
After eight years, NASA's Dawn probe brings Ceres into closest focus

Another thread
Bright Spots On Ceres...