NASA’s Dawn probe is set to begin orbiting Ceres. It was launched in 2007, by NASA. Ceres is only one of the bodies in this belt that’s completely spherical. Ceres measures 590 mile (950km) in circumference and has about one-third of the mass. We may be able to discover the mysterious bright lights that are visible on Ceres’ surface now that it has become closer. When the probe was nearly 29,000 miles from Ceres, two bright lights were seen next to each other in a crater basin. Scientists believe they may be plumes from ice volcanoes or impacts that exposed the interior of the planet. The Dawn probe approaches the dwarf planet Ceres in this artist’s conception. Dawn uses ion propulsion to travel through space. This is where ions are driven out of an engine and give the spacecraft thrust. Blue light reflects off the xenonions. Image: Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Does Ceres contain an ocean? NASA claims it is interested in finding out if Ceres has an ocean beneath its icy crust. Dawn will orbit Ceres around Friday, March 6, and it will become the first ever mission to visit a dwarf planet. Robert Mase is the Dawn project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena. He said that Dawn was about to become history. Our team is eager and ready to discover what Ceres holds for us.” Jim Green from NASA Headquarters, Washington said that “Studying Ceres will allow us to do historical space research, opening up a window into our solar system’s earliest chapters.” The data from Dawn may provide significant insights into how the solar system was formed. Scientists are unable to explain the mysterious bright spots on Ceres’ surface. Image: Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Dawn began its approach phase towards the dwarf planet in December 2014.. Dawn has made several optical navigation pictures and two rotation characterizations that allow for Ceres observations throughout its nine-hour rotation. Dawn has sent the most detailed pictures ever taken of Ceres since January 25th. NASA predicts that they’ll get even more amazing as it nears. It was named after the Roman goddess Ceres, but at that time was still considered to be a planet. They were later known as minor planets, or asteroids as more celestial objects were discovered in the region. His new discovery Ceres is pointed out by Father Giuseppe Piazzi. Image: Palermo Astronomical Observatory. According to Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), “Ceres” was originally classified as an asteroid, but later became a planet. Ceres, in recognition of its similarity to a planet, was made a dwarf planet by 2006, alongside Pluto and Eris. Ceres’ name is “Ceres,” the Roman goddess of harvests and agriculture. The craters have been named for mythological gods or goddesses associated with agriculture and vegetation. NASA Video: Dawn Approaches Ceres
Dawn probe poised to orbit dwarf planet Ceres
