NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft Views Pongal Catena on Ceres
This newly released image from NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft shows the northeastern rim of Urvara Crater on Ceres, helping to shed light on the nature of…
Ceres
Dawn Spacecraft Views Kerwan Crater on Ceres
NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft captured this image of the Kerwan crater (the largest crater on Ceres) from an altitude of about 915 miles. The 16-mile-wide (26-kilometer-wide)…
NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft Successfully Observes Ceres at Opposition from Sun
On April 29th NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft successfully observed Ceres at opposition, taking images from a position exactly between the sun and Ceres’ surface. Mission specialists…
NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft Reveals Evidence for Ground Ice on Dwarf Planet Ceres
A newly published study in the journal Nature Geoscience reveals evidence that dwarf planet Ceres retains a significant amount of water ice, showing how ice…
NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft Links Temporary Atmosphere of Ceres to Solar Activity
New observations from NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft reveal the hydrogen content of Ceres’ surface and link the temporary atmosphere to solar activity. Astronomers have long thought…
New Research Shows Ice in Ceres’ Shadowed Craters Linked to Tilt History
Scientists examine the axial tilt of Ceres, finding a correlation between craters that stay in shadow at maximum obliquity and bright deposits that are likely…
NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft Identifies Age of Ceres’ Brightest Spot
Scientists from the Max Planck Institute have determined the age of the bright material on Ceres, revealing that it is roughly four million years old….
Astronomers Discover Evidence for Organic Material on Ceres
Using data from NASA’s Dawn Mission, a team of astronomers has discovered evidence for organic material on dwarf planet Ceres. NASA’s Dawn mission has found…
New SOFIA Observations Show Ceres’ True Composition
New SOFIA observations show the true composition of Ceres, revealing that it does not appear to have the carbon-rich surface composition that telescopes previously indicated….
Dawn Probe Discovers Water Ice in Ceres’ Polar Region
The Herschel Telescope and the Dawn Spacecraft have observed the release of water vapor from Ceres and the Dawn Spacecraft has discovered water ice in…
New Image of Ceres from NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft
NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft views the shadowy, cratered terrain of Ceres in a dramatic new view of the dwarf planet. Dawn snapped this image on October…
NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft Views Craters Takel and Cozobi
This newly released image from NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft shows craters Takel and Cozobi on Ceres. The craters Takel and Cozobi are featured in this image…
What’s Inside Ceres? New Research Suggests That Ceres Has a Weak Interior
New research reveals that Ceres has a weak interior, and that water and other light materials partially separated from rock during a heating phase early…
Researchers Investigate the Lack of Large Impact Craters on Ceres
Ceres’ lack of giant impact basins presents a puzzle to scientists. They expected to observe more large craters on the dwarf planet than have been…
NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft Maps Ceres Craters Where Ice Can Accumulate
Using data from NASA’s Dawn Mission, astronomers have identified permanently shadowed regions on the dwarf planet Ceres. These areas are likely cold enough to have…
Recent Hydrothermal Activity May Explain Ceres’ Mysterious Bright Spots
New research reveals that the Occator Crater on Ceres has the highest concentration of carbonate minerals ever seen outside Earth. The brightest area on Ceres,…
NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft Completes Primary Mission
NASA’s Dawn spacecraft completes its primary mission, exceeding all expectations. On June 30, just in time for the global celebration known as Asteroid Day, NASA’s…
New Images Reveal More Details on Ceres’ Craters
NASA’s Dawn spacecraft has revealed marvelous sights on dwarf planet Ceres during its first year in orbit, including the mysterious bright spots in Occator Crater….