Mysterious Bright Spots Seen in New Images of the Dwarf Planet Ceres

As NASA's Dawn spacecraft shoots toward the dwarf planet Ceres, it's learning more about this small body. Now, scientists have spotted mysterious bright spots and craters in images of Ceres sent from the spacecraft.

The new images were taken Feb. 12 at a distance of just 52,000 miles from the dwarf planet. As the spacecraft draws closer, it's revealing new and sharper details about the dwarf planet.

"As we slowly approach the stage, our eyes transfixed on Ceres and her planetary dance, we find she has beguiled us but left us none the wiser," said Chris Russell, principal investigator of the Dawn mission, in a news release. "We expected to be surprised; we did not expect to be this puzzled."

Dawn will arrive at Ceres on March 6, when it will orbit the dwarf planet. Between now and then, the spacecraft will continue delivering better images and other data. This will allow scientists to investigate the nature and composition of the dwarf planet, including the nature of the craters and bright spots that are slowly coming into focus as Dawn journeys closer.

The latest images are the sharpest images of Ceres to date. With a resolution of 4.9 miles per pixel, they reveal never-before-seen features. That said, these images will only improve as the spacecraft approaches Ceres.

Already, Dawn has made some startling discoveries. It explored the giant asteroid Vesta for 14 months during 2011 and 2012, revealing surprising insights about the geological history of this body. By comparing Vesta and Ceres, scientists will develop a better understanding of the formation of the solar system.

For now, though, the spacecraft continues its journey.

For more information about the Dawn mission, you can visit NASA's website.

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