Ceres
Dwarf Planet
Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt and the closest dwarf planet to the Sun. It contains substantial water ice beneath its surface and features mysterious bright spots inside its craters, later identified as salt deposits.
Field Notes
- Ceres holds about a third of the entire asteroid belt's total mass.
- Bright spots inside Occator crater turned out to be deposits of sodium carbonate salts.
- It's the only dwarf planet located in the inner solar system, between Mars and Jupiter.
| Planet Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Radius | 473 km |
| Mass | 9.393 × 10²⁰ kg |
| Distance from Sun | 413.7M km |
| Rotation Speed | 92.6 km/h |