Space & Astronomy

New data hints at water volcanoes on Ceres

By T.K. Randall
March 22, 2015

Image: Rendering of the Dwarf Planet Ceres
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA / (PD) As NASA's Dawn spacecraft approached Ceres earlier this year one of its most tantalizing observations was of two unexplained bright spots which appeared inside a crater on its surface.

While the mystery has yet to be conclusively solved, new data returned by the probe has helped to shed some light on it.

Scientists now believe that these anomalous features could be an indication that there are erupting water volcanoes on Ceres.Recent photographs of the phenomenon show that the bright spots can still be seen even when viewed from the side, suggesting that they protrude above the rim of the crater.

In addition to this the spots get brighter during the day and disappear at night, indicating that there could be a pocket of ice on the surface that is releasing gas when it is heated up by the sun.

While high-resolution photographs of the site won't be available until Dawn's orbit takes it closer to the surface, it's possible that, like Jupiter's moons of Europa and Ganymede, Ceres could be home to an ocean of liquid water hidden deep down beneath its icy shell.

Source: New Scientist

Tags: Ceres, Dawn