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Judi Lynn

(160,218 posts)
Wed May 17, 2017, 01:18 AM May 2017

NASAs Dawn Spacecraft Makes Movie Of Dwarf Planet Ceres Bright Crater


BY ELANA GLOWATZ @ELANAGLOW ON 05/16/17 AT 5:54 PM


NASA’s Dawn spacecraft has sent back new images of Ceres, a dwarf planet in our solar system between Mars and Jupiter, that could help scientists understand just what is happening on its surface.

The spacecraft captured Ceres at a point called opposition when it was directly between the sun and Ceres. That spot, 12,000 miles from the dwarf planet, was ideal for it to snap photos of the Occator Crater, the brightest spot on Ceres and one that provides evidence of volcanic activity. NASA weaved those photos into a movie.

“The bright spots of Occator stand out particularly well on an otherwise relatively bland surface,” NASA said.

While the Occator Crater stands out most of all, the whole of Ceres is brighter at opposition, giving scientists a unique perspective from which to study it. According to NASA, that has to do with the size and porousness of the grains of material on its surface.

More:
http://www.ibtimes.com/nasas-dawn-spacecraft-makes-movie-dwarf-planet-ceres-bright-crater-2539725
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