Ceres (dwarf planet)

Ceres is a dwarf planet located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is the largest object in the asteroid belt and the only dwarf planet located in the inner Solar System. It was discovered by Giuseppe Piazzi on January 1, 1801, and was initially classified as a planet, then as an asteroid, before being reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Ceres has a diameter of approximately 940 kilometers (584 miles) and a mass about 1/4000th that of Earth. Its surface is composed of a mixture of water ice, hydrated minerals like carbonates and clays, and possibly ammonia-rich clays.

Ceres' surface features include impact craters, mountains, and bright spots. The most prominent bright spots are located in Occator Crater and are composed primarily of sodium carbonate. These deposits are believed to have been exposed by impacts that brought subsurface brines to the surface. Ahuna Mons is a prominent cryovolcano, formed by the eruption of salty water ice onto the surface.

The interior of Ceres is thought to be differentiated, with a rocky core surrounded by a mantle of water ice and a thin crust. Evidence suggests that Ceres may have a subsurface ocean of liquid water.

Ceres was visited by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, which orbited the dwarf planet from 2015 to 2018. Dawn's observations provided detailed images and data about Ceres' surface composition, geology, and internal structure.

Ceres is named after the Roman goddess of agriculture, grain crops, fertility, and motherly relationships.