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Status of the Deep Space Network

NASA's Digital Orrery

MAST: Barbara A. Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes

Map of the Universe from Johns Hopkins University and others.....

Johns Hopkins University (JHU) continues to pad its space community résumé with their interactive map, “The map of the observable Universe”, that takes viewers on a 13.7-billion-year-old tour of the cosmos from the present to the moments after the Big Bang. While JHU is responsible for creating the site, additional contributions were made by NASA, the European Space Agency, the National Science Foundation, and the Sloan Foundation.

JWST's weekly observing schedule:

Speculation

How Do We Colonize Ceres?

Outward Bound: Colonizing Ceres


A visit to Ceres and the Asteroid Belt. Visit our sponsor, Brilliant: Ceres, a dwarf planet amid the Asteroid Belt, hold the potential to be the hub of a vast mining and manufacturing network in the Belt, as well as potentially growing the food to support future colonists. Today we'll look at colonizing Ceres and asteroid mining, faming in space, and a potential distant future of a developed asteroid belt. Visit our Website: Support us on Patreon: SFIA Merchandise available: Social Media: Facebook Group: Reddit: Twitter: on Twitter and RT our future content. SFIA Discord Server: Episode's Narration-only version Credits: Outward Bound: Colonizing Ceres 141 Season 4 Episode 26 Writers Isaac Arthur Editors A.T. Long Derek Hightower Evan Schultheis Jerry Guern Keith Blockus Mark Warburton Oliver Epsom Sigmund Kopperud Stuart Graham Producer: Isaac Arthur Cover Artist: Jakub Grygier Graphics Team: Jarred Eagley Jeremy Jozwik Justin Dixon Ken York Kristijan Tavcar Kris Holland (Mafic Studios) www.maficstudios.com LegionTech Studios https://hades9.com Sam MacNamara Sergio Botero Narrator: Isaac Arthur Music Manager: Luca De Rosa - lucaderosa2@live.com Music: Markus Junnikkala, "Hail the Victorious Dead" Kai Engel, "Endless Story About Sun and Moon" Stellardrone, "Last Day On Earth" Epic Mountain, "Rising Sky Aerium, "The Islands moved while I was asleep" Phase Shift, "Forest Night" Lombus, "Amino"

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Mission to CERES


NASA's CRES/ASTEROID Travel Poster



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A view of Ceres in natural color, pictured by the Dawn spacecraft in May 2015. Credit: NASA/ JPL/Planetary Society/Justin Cowart

Flight Over Dwarf Planet Ceres


Take a flight over dwarf planet Ceres in this video made with images from NASA's Dawn spacecraft. The simulated flyover was made by the mission's camera team at Germany's national aeronautics and space research center (DLR).

Topographic Maps of Ceres’ East and West Hemispheres, taken by the Dawn mission. Credit: NASA/JPL


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NASA asteroids comets overview

NASA asteroids comets overview

Planets Dwarf Planets overview

Planets Dwarf Planets overview

Radiation Blast Delays NASA Spacecraft�s Arrival At Dwarf Planet Ceres by ELIZABETH HOWELL on SEPTEMBER 17, 2014


Artist�s conception of the NASA Dawn spacecraft approaching Ceres. Credit: NASA
NASA�s Dawn spacecraft experienced technical problems in the past week that will force it to arrive at dwarf planet Ceres
one month later than planned, the agency said in a statement yesterday (Sept. 16, 2014).
Controllers discovered Dawn was in safe mode Sept. 11 after radiation disabled its ion engine,
which uses electrical fields to �push� the spacecraft along. The radiation stopped all engine thrusting activities.

Vesta (left) and Ceres. Vesta was photographed up close by the Dawn spacecraft from July 2011-Sept. 2012,
while the best views we have to date of Ceres come from the Hubble Space Telescope. The bright white spot is still a mystery. Credit: NASA
�As a result of the change in the thrust plan, Dawn will enter into orbit around dwarf planet Ceres in April 2015,
about a month later than previously planned. The plans for exploring Ceres once the spacecraft is in orbit, however,
are not affected,� NASA�s Jet Propulsion Laboratory stated in a press release.

Pictures of the asteroid Ceres taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and released in 2005.
It shows the asteroid rotating over two hours and 20 minutes, which is about a quarter of a day on Ceres (nine hours).
At the time, scientists said the bright spot is a mystery.
Credit: NASA, ESA, J. Parker (Southwest Research Institute), P. Thomas (Cornell University), and L. McFadden (University of Maryland, College Park)

NASA / JPL / UCLA / MPS / DLR / IDA
Dawn's view of Ceres on December 1, 2014 (detail)
Round is so important to geologists. Round means that the force of gravity has overcome the strength of the materials
that make up Ceres, squishing it together and forcing its surface to be approximately flat, according to the local force of gravity;
over time, that makes a world round, not quite spherical, but bulging slightly at the equator.
This reshaping by gravity generates heat in a couple of different ways, and heat encourages planetary materials to flow faster,
sometimes even melting. Ceres will have tectonic features, maybe even an internal ocean.
Or there were such features, once. Ceres' surface will have recorded those changes.
It remains for Dawn to see whether those recordings have been preserved across geologic time,
leaving a record that we, back on Earth, can decipher.

Ceres, Target of NASA's Dawn Mission Discovered on Jan. 1, 1801 by Giuseppe Piazzi of Italy,
Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt - the strip of solar system real estate between Mars and Jupiter.
On March 6, 2015, NASA's Dawn spacecraft will arrive at Ceres, marking the first time that a spacecraft has ever orbited two solar system target

Here�s Dawn�s Best View of Ceres Yet by Jason Major on January 19, 2015


Animation of Ceres made from Dawn images acquired on Jan. 13, 2015
(Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA/PSI)
Just sit back and watch the world turn� or should I say, watch the dwarf planet
turn in this fascinating animation from Dawn as the spacecraft continues on its ion-powered approach to Ceres!

An Even Closer View of Ceres Shows Multiple White Spots Now by BOB KING on FEBRUARY 5, 2015


Animation of photos of the asteroid Ceres taken by NASA�s Dawn spacecraft on Feb. 4, 2015
at a distance of about 90,000 miles (145,000 kilometers). Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA
NASA�s Dawn spacecraft has acquired its latest and closest-yet snapshot of the mysterious dwarf planet world Ceres.
These latest images, taken on Feb. 4, from a distance of about 90,000 miles (145,000 km) clearly show craters �
including a couple with central peaks � and a clearer though still ambiguous view of that wild white spot that has so many of us
scratching our heads as to its nature.

Dawn Approaches: Two Faces of Ceres


These two views of Ceres were acquired by NASA's Dawn spacecraft on Feb. 12, 2015,
from a distance of about 52,000 miles (83,000 kilometers) as the dwarf planet rotated.
The images have been magnified from their original size.

Ceres Bizarre Bright Spot Now Has a Companion by BOB KING on FEBRUARY 26, 2015


This image was taken by NASA�s Dawn spacecraft of dwarf planet Ceres on Feb. 19 from a distance of nearly 29,000 miles (46,000 km).
It shows that the brightest spot on the dwarf planet has a dimmer companion which lies in the same crater.
Note also the �cracks� or faults in its crust at bottom right.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

Bright Spots on Ceres Likely Ice, Not Cryovolcanoes by NANCY ATKINSON on MARCH 3, 2015


Ceres rotates in this sped-up movie comprised of images taken by NASA�s Dawn mission during its approach to the dwarf planet. The images were taken on Feb. 19, 2015, from a distance of nearly 29,000 miles (46,000 kilometers). Dawn observed Ceres for a full rotation of the dwarf planet, which lasts about nine hours. The images have a resolution of 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) per pixel. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

Dawn Ceres Arrival NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory


Streamed live on Mar 2, 2015 NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory held a briefing at 9 a.m. PST (noon EST) Monday, March 2, to discuss the March 6 arrival of the agency's Dawn spacecraft at the dwarf planet Ceres. The news briefing, held at JPL's von Karman Auditorium at 4800 Oak Grove Dr., Pasadena, California, will be broadcast live on NASA Television and streamed here. Ceres, located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, is the largest unexplored world of the inner solar system. Dawn will not only be the first spacecraft to reach a dwarf planet, it will be the first spacecraft ever to orbit two different worlds in deep space. Dawn was the first spacecraft to orbit a body in the main asteroid belt when it explored the giant asteroid Vesta from 2011 to 2012. Participants in the news conference are: -- Jim Green, director, Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters, Washington -- Robert Mase, Dawn project manager, JPL -- Carol Raymond, Dawn deputy principal investigator, JPL Category Science & Technology License Standard YouTube License

Dawn Rises Over Ceres North Pole by BOB KING on APRIL 16, 2015


Dawn�s framing camera took these images of Ceres on April 10, 2015 which were combined into a short animation.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA
Brand new images taken on April 10 by NASA�s Dawn probe show the dwarf planet from high above its north pole.
Photographed at a distance of just 21,000 miles (33,000 km) � less than 10 times the Earth-moon distance �
they�re our sharpest views to date. The crispness combined with the low-angled sunlight gives Ceres a stark, lunar-like appearance.

Dwarf planet Ceres reveals surface secrets in NASA color map(april, 2015)


Dawn's first color map of Ceres shows the dwarf planet's mottled
surface hints at a vibrant and active past.

Ceres� White Spots Multiply in Latest Dawn Photos
by Bob King on May 11, 2015



Where there were two, now there are 10! Ceres photographed on May 3 and 4 by NASA�s Dawn spacecraft
show multiple white spots inside the 57-mile-wide crater located in the asteroid�s northern hemisphere.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA / montage by Tom Ruen

Ceres white spot complex

Ceres Animation Showcases Bright Spots


This animation shows a sequence of images taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft on May 4, 2015,
from a distance of 8,400 miles (13,600 kilometers), in its RC3 mapping orbit.
The image resolution is 0.8 mile (1.3 kilometers) per pixel.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

Circling Occator Crater on Ceres (Silent)


Uploaded on Sep 8, 2015 Black and white and color animations made with new data from NASA's Dawn spacecraft highlight the topography of Occator crater on Ceres. Category Science & Technology License Standard YouTube License

Ceres Bright Spots Sharpen But Questions Remain
by BOB KING on MAY 22, 2015


Latest image released by NASA of the white spots in the 57-mile-wide crater on the dwarf planet Ceres.
Scientists with the Dawn mission believe they’re highly reflective material, likely ice.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

It's Crater-palooza on Dwarf Planet Ceres (New Photo)
by Mike Wall, Space.com Senior Writer | May 28, 2015 07:34pm ET


A new view of Ceres, captured by NASA’s Dawn probe on May 23, 2015, shows fine details of the dwarf planet’s surface coming into focus. into focus. Credit NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

Fly Over Dwarf Planet Ceres
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory


Published on Jun 8, 2015 A new video animation of dwarf planet Ceres, based on images taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, provides dramatic flyover views
of this heavily cratered, mysterious world. The images come from Dawn's first mapping orbit at Ceres,
at an altitude of 8,400 mile (13,600 kilometers), as well as navigational images taken from 3,200 miles (5,100 kilometers) away.
The images provided information for a three-dimensional terrain model. The vertical dimension has been exaggerated by a factor of two,
and a star field has been added in the background.
Category Science & Technology License Standard YouTube License

Ceres Bright Spots Keep Their Secret Even From 2,700 miles Up by Bob King on June 10, 2015


The brightest spots on dwarf planet Ceres are seen in this image taken by NASA’s Dawn spacecraft on June 6, 2015.
This is among the first snapshots from Dawn’s second mapping orbit, which is 2,700 miles (4,400 km) in altitude.
The resolution is 1,400 feet (410 meters) per pixel. Click photos for full resolution images.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

Fresh material is exposed in a rayed crater on Ceres. Taken on June 6 from 2,700 miles (4,400 km),
it has a resolution of 1,400 feet (410 meters) per pixel,
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

A cluster of mysterious bright spots on dwarf planet Ceres can be seen in this image,
taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft from an altitude of 2,700 miles (4,400 kilometers).
The image, with a resolution of 1,400 feet (410 meters) per pixel, was taken on June 9, 2015.

Ceres Resembles Saturn’s Icy Moons by JASON MAJOR on JULY 28, 2015


Topographic elevation map of Ceres showing newly-named craters.
The highest regions are in red, the lowest in blue.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA.

Russell said the ice-vs.-salt debate is continuing. “I originally was an advocate of ice,
because of how bright the spots seemed to be,” he said. However, the bright material’s albedo,
or reflectivity factor, is about 50 percent – which is less than Russell originally thought.
“This could be salt and is unlikely to be ice. I think the team opinion is now more in line with salt,” he said.

Ceres’ famous “bright spot” crater is now named Occator, after the Roman god of harrowing.
(NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA)

Video caption: Take a tour of weird Ceres! Visit a 2-mile-deep crater and a 4-mile-tall mountain
in the video narrated by mission director Marc Rayman. Get your red/blue glasses ready for the finale
– a global view of the dwarf planet in 3D.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA/LPI/PSI

Ceres’ “Pyramid” Gets a Closer Look, But Bright Spots Remain a Mystery
by NANCY ATKINSON on AUGUST 26, 2015


NASA’s Dawn spacecraft spotted this tall, conical mountain on Ceres from a distance of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers).
The mountain, located in the southern hemisphere, stands 4 miles (6 kilometers) high. Its perimeter is sharply defined,
with almost no accumulated debris at the base of the brightly streaked slope. The image was taken on August 19, 2015.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

Ceres' Bright Spots Seen in Striking New Detail 090915


The brightest spots on the dwarf planet Ceres gleam with mystery in new views delivered
by NASA's Dawn spacecraft. These closest-yet views of Occator crater, with a resolution of 450 feet (140 meters) per pixel,
give scientists a deeper perspective on these very unusual features.
CREDIT:NASA

Scientists Tantalized as Dawn Yields Global Mineral and Topographic Maps of Ceres
by KEN KREMER on SEPTEMBER 30, 2015


This map-projected view of Ceres was created from images taken by NASA’s Dawn spacecraft during its high-altitude mapping orbit,
in August and September, 2015. This color coded map can provide valuable insights into the mineral composition of the surface, as well
as the relative ages of surface features.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

Dawn Starts Steep Descent to Most Dazzling Orbit of Ceres by KEN KREMER on OCTOBER 29, 2015


This mosaic shows Ceres’ Occator crater and surrounding terrain from an altitude of 915 miles
(1,470 kilometers), as seen by NASA’s Dawn spacecraft. Occator is about 60 miles (90 kilometers) across and 2 miles
(4 kilometers) deep.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

Dawn’s low altitude mapping orbit LAMO. This shows how the orbit naturally shifts slightly (relative to the sun)
during the three months of LAMO, starting in blue and ending in red. The spacecraft completes each revolution in 5.5 hours,
and Ceres rotates in 9.1 hours, so Dawn will be able to view the entire surface.
Credit: NASA/JPL

This view from NASA’s Dawn spacecraft is a color-coded topographic map of Occator crater on Ceres.
Blue is the lowest elevation, and brown is the highest. The crater, which is home to the brightest spots on Ceres,
is approximately 56 miles (90 kilometers wide).
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

An artist’s conception shows NASA’s Dawn spacecraft flying above Ceres. This view incorporates actual imagery from the Dawn mission.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

New Clues to Ceres’ Bright Spots and Origins Dec 10, 2015

Published on Dec 9, 2015 Dwarf planet Ceres is shown in these false-color renderings, which highlight differences in surface materials.
Images from NASA’s Dawn spacecraft were used to create a movie of Ceres rotating, followed by a flyover view of Occator Crater,
home of Ceres’ brightest area.

This representation of Ceres’ Occator Crater in false colors shows differences in the surface composition.

Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

About the Bright Spots Ceres has more than 130 bright areas, and most of them are associated with impact craters.
Study authors, led by Andreas Nathues at Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Göttingen, Germany,
write that the bright material is consistent with a type of magnesium sulfate called hexahydrite.
A different type of magnesium sulfate is familiar on Earth as Epsom salt.

-: See more

"The Global Nature of Ceres' bright spots suggests that this world has a subsurface layer that contains briny water ice" Nathues said


An image of Occator Crater draped over a digital terrain model provides a 3-D-like perspective view of the impact structure.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA - See more

A group of scientists from NASA’s Dawn mission suggests that when sunlight reaches Ceres’ Occator Crater,
a kind of thin haze of dust and evaporating water forms there.

Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA -

See more

Ceres Rotation and Occator Crater


Published on Dec 29, 2015 Dwarf planet Ceres is shown in these false-color renderings, which highlight differences in surface materials.
Images from NASA’s Dawn spacecraft were used to create a movie of Ceres rotating, followed by a flyover view of Occator Crater,
home of Ceres’ brightest area.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA Category Science & Technology License Standard YouTube License

DAWN UNVEILS NEW BRIGHT FEATURES ON CERES IN STRIKING CLOSE-UPS Jan 13, 2016 by Ken Kremer


This image from NASA’s Dawn spacecraft shows Kupalo Crater, one of the youngest craters on Ceres.
The crater has bright material exposed on its rim and walls, which could be salts. Its flat floor likely formed
from impact melt and debris.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

This image from NASA’s Dawn spacecraft shows part of Messor Crater (25 miles or 40 kilometers, wide),
located at northern mid-latitudes on Ceres. The scene shows an older crater in which a large lobe-shaped flow partly covers
the northern (top) part of the crater floor. The flow is a mass of material ejected when a younger crater formed just north of the rim.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

The fractured floor of Dantu Crater on Ceres is seen in this image from NASA’s Dawn spacecraft.
Similar fractures are seen in Tycho, one of the youngest large craters on Earth’s moon.
This cracking may have resulted from the cooling of impact melt, or when the crater floor was uplifted after the crater formed.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

Flight Over Dwarf Planet Ceres


Published on Jan 29, 2016 Take a flight over dwarf planet Ceres in this video made with images from NASA's Dawn spacecraft.
The simulated flyover was made by the mission's camera team at Germany's national aeronautics and space research center (DLR).
Category Science & Technology License Standard YouTube License

The motions of the bright spots on Ceres
The European Southern Observatory (ESO)


Published on Mar 16, 2016 This artist’s impression video is based on a detailed map of the surface compiled from images taken from
NASA’s Dawn spacecraft in orbit around the dwarf planet Ceres. It shows the very bright patches of material in the crater Occator
and elsewhere. New observations using the HARPS spectrograph on the ESO 3.6-metre telescope at La Silla in Chile have revealed
unexpected daily changes on these spots, suggesting that they change under the influence of sunlight as Ceres rotates.
This illustration shows how the features in the spectrum of the light reflected from the bright spots is alternately
red and blue shifted slightly compared to the average light of Ceres as it rotates. This very subtle effect has been
measured from the ground using the HARPS spectrograph on the ESO 3.6-metre telescope at La Silla in Chile.
The effect has been greatly exaggerated to make it visible and excludes the much brighter light coming from the rest of the disc of Ceres. More information and download options: http://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1... Credit: ESO/L.Calçada/NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/­DLR/IDA/Steve Albers Category Science & Technology License Standard YouTube License

BEST NASA IMAGES YET OF CERES’ BRIGHTEST SPOT 23 Mar , 2016 by Bob King

The bright central spots near the center of Occator Crater are shown in enhanced color
in this view from NASA’s Dawn spacecraft. The view was produced by combining the highest resolution images
taken in February 2016 at an image scale of 115 feet (35 meters) per pixel with color images obtained in
September 2015 at a lower resolution added. Click for a highest-res view.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA/PSI

Occator Crater, measuring 57 miles (92 kilometers) across and 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) deep,
contains the brightest area on Ceres.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA/PSI

This global map shows the surface of Ceres in enhanced color, including infrared wavelengths beyond human visual range.
Photos were taken using infrared, green and blue filters and combined to create this view.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA/PSI

This global map shows the surface of Ceres in enhanced color, including infrared wavelengths beyond human visual range.
Photos were taken using infrared, green and blue filters and combined to create this view.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA/PSI

Oddly-Shaped Crater Spotted on Ceres

April 20, 2016 A newly-released photograph from NASA provides an amazingly colorful view of the surface of the dwarf planet Ceres,
including a crater which boasts an incredibly unique shape.
The impression, dubbed 'Haulani Crater,' sports remarkably straight lines that leave the site resembling a rudimentary stop sign (Octogon). The straight-edged nature of the crater was noted by NASA as quite different from similar locations found throughout space so far. Calling attention to the area, the space agency observed that "most craters seen on other planetary bodies, including Earth, are nearly circular." They went on to credit "pre-existing stress patterns and faults beneath the surface" for the odd shape of the crater. The new image also provides another look at the infamous 'bright spots' on Ceres which set of a firestorm of speculation in the paranormal community last year. Despite NASA's explanations for both oddities, it's likely that this new image will only further pique the interest of space anomaly
watchers who suspect that there is a much bigger story behind Ceres than merely a dwarf planet. Source: Christian Science Monitor

LARGE IMPACT CRATERS ON CERES HAVE GONE MISSING

A depression on Ceres is possibly what’s left of one of the largest craters from Ceres’ earliest collisional history.
Credit: SwRI/Simone Marchi.

Scientists with NASA’s Dawn mission were surprised to find that Ceres has no clear signs
of truly giant impact basins. This image shows both visible (left)
and topographic (right) mapping data from Dawn.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI.

Ceres' Missing Large Craters

Published on Jul 26, 2016 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 found by NASA's Dawn mission. Researchers are investigating a variety of processes
that might have caused the appearance of the largest basins to be softened or erased over time. For more information
about the Dawn mission, visit Category Science & Technology License Standard YouTube License

What's Inside Ceres? New Findings from Gravity Data

This artist's concept shows a diagram of how the inside of Ceres could be structured, based on data about the dwarf planet's gravity field
from NASA's Dawn mission.
Using information about Ceres' gravity and topography, scientists found that Ceres is "differentiated,"
which means that it has compositionally distinct layers at different depths. The densest layer is at the core,
which scientists suspect is made of hydrated silicates. Above that is a volatile-rich shell, topped with a crust of mixed materials.

PHENOMENAL NEW VIEW OF CERES ‘LONELY MOUNTAIN’ REVEALS SIGNS OF VOLCANIC ACTIVITY

Whoa – what a sight! Ceres’ lonely mountain, Ahuna Mons, is seen in this simulated perspective view.
The elevation has been exaggerated by a factor of two. The view was made using enhanced-color images
from NASA’s Dawn mission in August from an altitude of 240 miles (385 km) in August 2016.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA/PSI

Ahuna Mons is seen in this mosaic of images from NASA’s Dawn spacecraft. On its steepest side,
this mountain is about 3 miles (5 km) high. Its average overall height is 2.5 miles (4 km).
The diameter of the mountain is about 12 miles (20 km). Dawn took these images from its low-altitude mapping orbit,
240 miles (385 kilometers) above the surface, in December 2015. Credits: NASA/JPL/Dawn mission

The Ahuna Mons dome compared to a dome in Russia. The similarity in appearance is striking though the difference in size is large. Credit: NASA

Young Cryovolcano on Ceres

Published on Sep 1, 2016 Analysis of images from NASA's Dawn mission reveals that dwarf planet Ceres hosts an unexpectedly young cryovolcano that formed with the past billion years. Read the full NASA.gov story here: Read the full paper in Science here: [link] For more Ceres images and animations, visit the JPL Photojournal: Music credits: "Farewell to the King" by Richard Friedman [ASCAP]; Jefandyo Music SESAC; Killer Tracks Production Music "Out of Control" by Amanda Leigh Wilson [PRS] and Stephen William Cornish [PRS]; Atmosphere Music Ltd PRS; Killer Tracks Production Music "Seven Sitars" by Chris Constantinou [PRS] and Paul Frazer [PRS]; Killer Tracks BMI; Killer Tracks Production Music Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Katrina Jackson This video is public domain and along with other supporting visualizations can be downloaded from the Scientific Visualization Studio at: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12346 : If you liked this video, subscribe to the NASA Goddard YouTube channel Or subscribe to NASA’s Goddard Shorts HD Podcast: Follow NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center · Facebook: · Twitter · Flickr · Instagram +· Google Category Science & Technology License Standard YouTube License

Dwarf planet Ceres is located in the asteroid belt, between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
Observations by ESA’s Herschel Space Observatory between 2011 and 2013 found that the dwarf planet
has a thin water-vapor atmosphere, the first detection ever of water vapor around an asteroid in the asteroid belt.
Copyright ESA/ATG medialab/Küppers et al.

The small, bright crater Oxo (6 miles / 10 km wide) on Ceres is seen in this perspective view.
The elevation has been exaggerated by a factor of two. The view was made using enhanced-color images from NASA’s Dawn mission.
Dawn’s visible and infrared mapping spectrometer (VIR) has found evidence of water ice at this crater.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

In this illustration, a mud slurry rises up through Ceres’ crust to build a dome like Ahuna Mons.
Credit: Goddard Media Studios

The rim of Hamori Crater on Ceres is seen in the upper left portion of this image, which was taken by NASA’s Dawn spacecraft.
Clay is found at many locations on the dwarf planet.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

ICE, ICE EVERYWHERE, SAYS NEW STUDY ON CERES

Graphic showing a theoretical path of a water molecule on Ceres. Some water molecules fall into cold, dark craters called “cold traps,” where very little of the ice turns into vapor, even over the course of a billion years. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

The concentrations of iron, potassium and carbon detected by the GRaND instrument also supports the theory that Ceres’ surface was altered by liquid water in the interior. Basically, scientists theorize that the decay of radioactive elements within Ceres created enough heat to cause the protoplanet’s structure to differentiate between a rocky interior and icy outer shell – which also allowed minerals like those observed to be deposited in the surface.

NASA's Dawn Spacecraft: Flight Over Occator Crater on Dwarf Planet Ceres

Published on Dec 15, 2016 This video shows the intriguing Occator Crater on Ceres, home to the dwarf planet's brightest area. It may have been produced by upwelling of salt-rich liquids after the impact that formed the crater. The animated flyover includes topographic and enhanced-color views of the crater, highlighting the central dome feature. The animation was produced by the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Original music by Stefan Elgner, DLR. For more information about the Dawn mission, visit Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA Category Science & Technology License Standard YouTube License

Image: This animation shows how the illumination of Ceres’ northern hemisphere varies with the dwarf planet’s axial tilt, or obliquity. Shadowed regions are highlighted for tilts of 2 degrees, 12 degrees and 20 degrees. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA.

CONFIRMED: CERES HAS A TRANSIENT ATMOSPHERE

This image of Ceres approximates how the dwarf planet's colors would appear to the eye. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

Dwarf planet Ceres is located in the asteroid belt, between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
Observations by ESA’s Herschel Space Observatory between 2011 and 2013 found that the dwarf planet
has a thin water-vapor atmosphere, the first detection ever of water vapor around an asteroid in the asteroid belt.
Copyright ESA/ATG medialab/Küppers et al.

NASA’s Dawn spacecraft determined the hydrogen content of the upper yard, or meter, of Ceres’ surface. Blue indicates where hydrogen content is higher, near the poles, while red indicates lower content at lower latitudes. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA/PSI

WOW! ASTEROID/DWARF PLANET CERES ONCE HAD AN OCEAN?

A view of Ceres in natural colour, pictured by the Dawn spacecraft in May 2015. Credit: NASA/ JPL/Planetary Society/Justin Cowart

Ceres. as imaged by the NASA Dawn probe. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

Diagram showing a possible internal structure of Ceres. Credit: NASA/ESA/STScI/A. Feild

Ancient Ocean on Ceres?

Gravity measurements of Ceres, which provided hints about its internal structure. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

Finite element modeling of Ceres’ topography [Fu et al., 2017] shows that the topographic power cannot be supported by a solely ice rheology [physics dealing with the deformation and flow of matter] over billion year timescales. Using a lower bound for crustal density based on rheology, we derive constraints on the crustal thickness using the assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium. A low-density, high strength mixture is required to explain the inferred crustal density and rheology. The latter does not allow more than 43 vol% silicates assuming 15% void porosity in the crust. Therefore, lower density materials, such as salt or gas (clathrate) hydrates, are required.

Image: This animation shows Ceres as seen by NASA’s Dawn spacecraft from its high-altitude mapping orbit at 1,470 kilometers above the surface. The colorful map overlaid at right shows variations in Ceres’ gravity field measured by Dawn, and gives scientists hints about the dwarf planet’s internal structure. Red colors indicate more positive values, corresponding to a stronger gravitational pull than expected, compared to scientists’ pre-Dawn model of Ceres’ internal structure;blue colors indicate more negative values, corresponding to a weaker gravitational pull. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA.

A visual image and a gravitational field image of Ceres. Note the area of strong gravity at Ahuna Mons,in white. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

Ahuna Mons on the dwarf planet Ceres is a remarkable and unique feature in our Solar System. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

These are Dawn’s best images of Ahuna Mons, captured when the spacecraft was at its closest point to the surface. Note the smooth, craterless sides of the volcano, a clue that it is younger than the rest of the dwarf planet’s surface. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

This model of Ceres’ structure was created from data from the Dawn mission. The 40km thick crust is composed of ice, salts, and hydrated minerals. Beneath that there is likely a layer of brine and mud, and under that, the rocky mantle is made of mostly hydrated minerals. Scientists don’t know if Ceres has a rocky core. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

A color-coded gravity map of Ahuna Mons created with Dawn data. Ahuna Mons, at it’s highest point, rises almost 5 km (3.1 miles) above its surroundings. There’s a 9 km (5.6 mile) elevation distance from the peak of the volcano to the low-lying areas shown in blue. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA


A Habitat at Ceres Could be the Gateway to the Outer Solar System

In the near future, humanity stands a good chance of expanding its presence beyond Earth. This includes establishing infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), on the surface of (and in orbit around) the Moon, and on Mars. This presents numerous challenges, as living in space and on other celestial bodies entails all kinds of potential risks and health hazards – not the least of which are radiation and long-term exposure to low gravity.

Exterior view of a Stanford torus. Bottom center is the non-rotating primary solar mirror, which reflects sunlight onto the angled ring of secondary mirrors around the hub. Credit: Donald E. Davis

Artist’s depiction of a pair of O’Neill cylinders. Credit: Rick Guidice/NASA Ames Research Center

A view of Ceres in natural colour, pictured by the Dawn spacecraft in May 2015. Credit: NASA/ JPL/Planetary Society/Justin Cowart

What Is A Space Elevator?

In this short video explainer, Universe Today publisher Fraser Cain explains the interesting idea of space elevators. Could a tether from the surface of the Earth carry satellites into space?


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Richard C. Hoagland Investigates CERES
Additional Information Mr. Hoagland's research

Home page:Richard C. Hoagland's home page


As NASA's unmanned DAWN spacecraft approached the largest asteroid, Ceres,
in March, 2015, it imaged two remarkable sets of "lights" lying in the bottom of a 55-mile-wide crater.
Determined to be intense reflections (~100%) of the weak sunlight illuminating the rest Ceres' extremely dark surface,
the fundamental nature of these intense solar reflections still remains(as of June 18, 2015) totally unknown.

A closer DAWN image of the "Ceres Lights," revealing the remarkable miles-wide geometry
and "organized" placement of both the main reflections, as well as the attendant "satellite" reflections.
A natural explanation for this highly-organized collection is increasingly unlikely, according to Enterprise Mission analysis.
The most startling aspect of the "Ceres Lights" lies in their geographic placement on Ceres' surface --
precisely at 19.5 degrees! This specific latitude has been identified in other Enterprise research as a key
location for both natural geophysical energy upwellings, as well as the deliberate siting of ancient artificial structures on Earth.

This wide-angle DAWN image shows another unique feature on the Ceres' surface --
a 3-mile-high "pyramid" Ascribed to a natural "cryovolcanic" process by some NASA specialists,
the Enterprise Mission suspects this remarkable feature could have a much more interesting explanation:
as the 3-mile-high ruins of a former "ancient glass arcology" (a contained living environment).

Close-up DAWN image of the possible "3-mile-high, ancient arcology" on Ceres.
Note the complex interior layering and sharp, geometric "base."
An equally puzzling geometgric feature seems to lie in an adjacent crater.
Future imaging of these remarkable features from the DAWN spacecraft will be from a hundred times closer,
and should reveal if the Enterprise "artificial model" is correct.

This DAWN comparison (prepared by Enterprise Mission Associate, Ron Gerbron)
reveals another "anomalous, geometric complex" on the Ceres surface.
Measuring about fifty miles across, the three-dimensional, geometric nature of the bright,
more reflective structures really stands out against the much darker (less reflective) surrounding Ceres'
surface. Again, closer planned imaging should be 100 times better than this version --
allowing scientific determination of the reason for the amazing interior geometry.

This "virtual color" version of the previous DAWN image reveals the remarkable,
highly reflective glass-like nature of this Cerean geometry. If these, indeed, are "ruins,"
future DAWN imaging should allow positive determination by late Fall.

This startling Rosetta image comparison -- between a layered, sharply artiifical-looking pyramid-
like structure on Comet 67P, and a fictional "G'ould Pyramid Ship" in the Hollywood film "Stargate" --
is only one of hundreds of equally remarkable "ancient ruins" studding the surface of this "comet."
Future, closer imaging by the European Rosetta spacecaft may provide enough detail
for a more conclusive determination of the origins of this and all the other "anomalous features" on 67P.


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How Do We Colonize Ceres?



A Habitat at Ceres Could be the Gateway to the Outer Solar System

Universe Today's CATEGORY: CERES

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MISC ARTICLES

NASA Dawn Reveals Recent Changes in Ceres’ Surface

Mar 16, 2018

Ceres is a Strange Place, Including a Volcanic Peak 4,000 Meters High
Made From Bubbling Salt Water, Mud and Rock



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Terraforming the dwarf planet: Interconnected and growable Ceres megasatellite world

Information on Terraforming the dwarf planet: Interconnected and growable Ceres megasatellite world




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Videos on Ceres

The Stunning Marks On Ceres Revealed | NASA Dawn's First Close Up Images

NASA's Dawn mission finished in 2017. What did it discover while in orbit around Ceres? Get Surfshark VPN at - Enter promo code ASTRUM for 83% off and 3 extra months for free! SUBSCRIBE for more videos about our other planets. Subscribe! Facebook! Twitter! Donate! Patreon: Ethereum Wallet: 0x5F8cf793962ae8Df4Cba017E7A6159a104744038 Become a Patron today and support Astrum! Donate link above. I can't do it without you. Patreons can help pick the next Astrum Answers in a fortnightly poll. Thanks to those who have supported so far! Astrum Hindi: Astrum Spanish:

The First Real Images of Ceres - What Have We Discovered?

Did you know that Pluto isn‘t the only dwarf planet in our solar system? Besides Pluto, there are four other dwarf planets in the galaxy:(Solar system?) Haumea, Makemake, Eris and Ceres. Ceres is the smallest of them. And yet the celestial body was once considered a full planet. But that was long before it was discovered how small Ceres actually is. Ceres has an equatorial diameter of just under 600 miles and is thus much smaller than the Earth's moon with its more than 2156 miles. Ceres’ actual size could only be determined a few years ago with the help of the Hubble telescope and the Dawn space probe. Previously, astronomers assumed its diameter was between 373 and 621 miles. Subscribe for more! ► Credit: NASA, ESA, ESO, SpaceX, Wikipedia, Shutterstock, ... #TheSimplySpaceEN


Speculation

How Do We Colonize Ceres?

Outward Bound: Colonizing Ceres


A visit to Ceres and the Asteroid Belt. Visit our sponsor, Brilliant: Ceres, a dwarf planet amid the Asteroid Belt, hold the potential to be the hub of a vast mining and manufacturing network in the Belt, as well as potentially growing the food to support future colonists. Today we'll look at colonizing Ceres and asteroid mining, faming in space, and a potential distant future of a developed asteroid belt. Visit our Website: Support us on Patreon: SFIA Merchandise available: Social Media: Facebook Group: Reddit: Twitter: on Twitter and RT our future content. SFIA Discord Server: Episode's Narration-only version Credits: Outward Bound: Colonizing Ceres 141 Season 4 Episode 26 Writers Isaac Arthur Editors A.T. Long Derek Hightower Evan Schultheis Jerry Guern Keith Blockus Mark Warburton Oliver Epsom Sigmund Kopperud Stuart Graham Producer: Isaac Arthur Cover Artist: Jakub Grygier Graphics Team: Jarred Eagley Jeremy Jozwik Justin Dixon Ken York Kristijan Tavcar Kris Holland (Mafic Studios) www.maficstudios.com LegionTech Studios https://hades9.com Sam MacNamara Sergio Botero Narrator: Isaac Arthur Music Manager: Luca De Rosa - lucaderosa2@live.com Music: Markus Junnikkala, "Hail the Victorious Dead" Kai Engel, "Endless Story About Sun and Moon" Stellardrone, "Last Day On Earth" Epic Mountain, "Rising Sky Aerium, "The Islands moved while I was asleep" Phase Shift, "Forest Night" Lombus, "Amino"

Between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter lies the Solar System’s Main Asteroid Belt. Within this region, it is estimated that there are over 150 million objects that measure 100 meters (330 ft) or more in diameter. The largest of these is the dwarf planet Ceres (aka. 1 Ceres), the only body in the Main Belt that is large enough – 940 km (585 mi) in diameter – to have undergone hydrostatic equilibrium (become spherical).

The Forgotten Dwarf Planet Ceres

E-mail for Commercial Purposes ► - - A. Definition of Ceres Is Pluto, the only dwarf in our Solar System? Deep in the space hidden from our eyes lies a planet whose surface temperature reaches a whopping maximum of 180 Kelvin and as low as 240 Kelvin. Yes, We are talking about “The Forgotten Dwarf”, the largest object in the asteroid belt lying between Mars and Jupiter. Named after the Roman goddess of agriculture and discovered in 1801 by the Italian astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi, Ceres is a perfectly spherical body despite being bombarded by thousands of tiny asteroids daily. It has been in discussion among scientists recently, as many believe Ceres is our best occupancy option. Ceres is believed to be the least geologically active body in the Solar System, with no evidence of volcanism, tectonic activity, or significant erosion. It has a low density and a low gravitational field, and its surface is covered in impact craters, suggesting that it has been relatively inactive for billions of years. B. Overview of Ceres Dwarf Planet is a designation given to celestial bodies that are too small to be considered full-sized planets but have enough mass and gravity to be nearly round. Being the most massive object in the asteroid belt, it is also the first object in the asteroid belt to be classified as a Dwarf Planet. Ceres is the only Dwarf Planet in the inner Solar System. Its surface is covered in impact craters, with some smooth areas that may have been caused due to cryovolcanism. Due to constant volcanic activities on the Planet, the surface appears shiny and dark when observed through telescopes. Ceres was formed 4.6 billion years ago, shortly after the formation of the solar system. It is believed that it formed from the same material that came together to form the other planets, moons, and asteroids in the region. The formation of Ceres was likely aided by the gravitational pull of Jupiter and Saturn, which - - "If You happen to see any content that is yours, and we didn't give credit in the right manner please let us know at Lorenzovareseaziendale@gmail.com and we will correct it immediately" "Some of our visual content is under an Attribution-ShareAlike license. in its different versions such as 1.0, 2.0, 3,0, and 4.0 – permitting commercial sharing with attribution given in each picture accordingly in the video." Credits: Ron Miller, Mark A. Garlick / MarkGarlick.com Credits: Nasa/Shutterstock/Storyblocks/Elon Musk/SpaceX/ESA/ESO/ Flickr 00:00 Intro and Definition of Ceres 1:13 Overview of Ceres 2:10 Ceres size and mass 3:10 surface 5:20 internal structure 6:00 surface composition

Ceres: The Closest And Smallest Dwarf Planet

#insanecuriosity #ceres #dwarfplanets From is status in the solar system, to some of the unique things about it, and more! Join me as I show you Ceres facts and history: The mysterious dwarf planet! 10 What Is Ceres? Dwarf planet Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and the only dwarf planet located in the inner solar system. It was the first member of the asteroid belt to be discovered when Giuseppe Piazzi spotted it in 1801. And when Dawn arrived in 2015, it became the first dwarf planet to receive a visit from a spacecraft. 9. The History And Discovery Of Ceres The finding of Ceres is a bit more in depth than we teased in the last entry, so here's a bit of a deeper look at its finding. 8. Classification Issues Something you must remember is that when it came to early astronomy is that the universe as a whole was still unknown in the grand scale and various notions about were changing and evolving with each century and new discovery. 7. Structure and Surface Ceres is more similar to the terrestrial planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars) than its asteroid neighbors, but it is much less dense. 6. Orbits, Rotations, and Seasons Ceres takes 1,682 Earth days, or 4.6 Earth years, to make one trip around the sun. As Ceres orbits the sun, it completes one rotation every 9 hours, making its day length one of the shortest in the solar system 5. Pop Culture The largest body in the asteroid belt, Ceres has amassed a number of references in science fiction stories of the 20th and 21st centuries. In the TV series The Expanse, Ceres is inhabited by humans, and in the PC Game Descent, one of the secret levels takes place on Ceres. 4. Formation Ceres formed along with the rest of the solar system about 4.5 billion years ago when gravity pulled swirling gas and dust in to become a small dwarf planet. 3. Exploration Despite us knowing a lot about Ceres, the fact of the matter is that pretty much everything we've found out about the dwarf planet has been made at ground level. Not for lack of trying to get there with something else, mind you. 2. Potential For Life? Ceres is one of the few places in our solar system where scientists would like to search for possible signs of life. It has something a lot of other planets don't: water. 1. Living On Ceres? As you all know, or at least hopefully know, our goal for this current decade is to go and reach Mars. Then, we will start to build a colony there and potentially start expanding across the solar system. -- DISCUSSIONS & SOCIAL MEDIA E-mail:Commercial Purposes: Tik Tok: Reddit: Instagram: Twitter: Facebook: Linkedin: Our Website: -- Credits: Ron Miller, Mark A. Garlick / MarkGarlick.com ,Elon Musk/SpaceX/ Flickr -- 00:00 Intro 00:20 10 What Is Ceres? 1:10 9. The History And Discovery Of Ceres 3:00 8. Classification Issues 5:20 7.Structure and Surface 7:02 6. Orbits, Rotations, and Seasons 8:45 4. Formation 9:40 3. Exploration 10:50 2. Potential For Life? 12:10 1. Living On Ceres? -- #insanecuriosity #ceres #dwarfplanets



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