Strange lights on dwarf planet Ceres have scientists perplexed

[RUSSO]

Interesting news about Ceres. Now they see two "spotlights" in there.

A dwarf planet is shining two bright lights at a NASA spacecraft right now, and our smartest scientists are unsure what they are.



As bizarre as that sentence sounds, that's the situation with Ceres — the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, officially designated as a dwarf planet (the same category as Pluto).

Previous Dawn images from further away showed a single light on Ceres, which was just as mysterious. Then, to the amazement of every astronomy geek, the one light turned out to be two — reflecting roughly 40% of the light hitting them.

An artist's depiction of the dwarf planet Ceres. Observations by ESA's Herschel space observatory between 2011 and 2013 find that the dwarf planet has a thin water vapor atmosphere.

"This is truly unexpected and still a mystery to us," said Andreas Nathues, lead investigator for the framing camera team at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Gottingen, Germany, in a NASA statement. "The brightest spot [of the two] continues to be too small to resolve with our camera, but despite its size it is brighter than anything else on Ceres."

So what could the bright spots be, other than alien castaways signaling at us with flashlights?

The most obvious contender is ice, although ice would reflect more than 40% of all light hitting it. The difference may be accounted for by the resolution limit of Dawn's camera at this distance. Scientists have previously detected water vapor coming from the surface of the dwarf planet, making ice — a more likely option.

Scientists have also suggested the bright areas could be patches of salt. On the other hand, the location of the two bright spots so close together may be an indication that they have a geologic origin, such as some sort of volcanic process, possibly even ice volcanoes.

According to Chris Russell, principal investigator for the Dawn mission, the positioning of the bright spots within the same area may indicate "a volcano-like origin of the spots," but scientists will have to wait for higher resolution images before making such interpretations. Scientists don't think the spots comprise lava similar to that seen on Earth, since that would shine more brightly.

We'll find out more as Dawn approaches Ceres next week and more imagery comes in during the next 16 months, according to NASA. In the meantime, here's more on Dawn and its eight-year mission:

http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/dawn/bright-spot-on-ceres-has-dimmer-companion/index.html#.VO51jFPF-2O
http://mashable.com/2015/02/25/strange-lights-dwarf-planet-ceres/?utm_cid=mash-com-fb-main-link

Potential for extraterrestrial life:

Although not as actively discussed as a potential home for extraterrestrial life as Mars, Titan or Europa, the presence of water ice has led to speculation that life may exist there,[65][66][67] and that hypothesized ejecta could have come from Ceres to Earth.[68]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceres_%28dwarf_planet%29


Well we shall see in the next months. Or not

[ArMaP]

A "bright spot" is not the same things as a "light", it could be just a much more reflective area with no light of its own.

But interesting in any case, thanks for posting.

[RUSSO]

A "bright spot" is not the same things as a "light", it could be just a much more reflective area with no light of its own.

Quotation mark.

Scare quotes or shudder quotes are quotation marks placed around a word or phrase to imply that it may not signify its apparent meaning or that it is not necessarily the way the quoting person would express its concept. The quotes serve a function similar to verbally prefixing a phrase with "so-called". When referred to as "scare quotes", the quotation marks are suggested to imply skepticism of or disagreement with the quoted terminology.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quotation_mark

But you are right ArMaP, someone that read here on PRC may suffer of asperger syndrome and have some troubles with miscomprehension of nuance.

Just lets not derail the thread about it, as we did in the Zorgon one.

But interesting in any case, thanks for posting.

No problem.. You are welcome!

[zorgon]

Delta V Deep Space Mining Platforms on Ceres..... - Dr Joe Resnick

'Bright Spot' on Ceres Has Dimmer Companion


This image was taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft of dwarf planet Ceres on Feb. 19 from a distance of nearly 29,000 miles (46,000 kilometers). It shows that the brightest spot on Ceres has a dimmer companion, which apparently lies in the same basin.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

Dwarf planet Ceres continues to puzzle scientists as NASA's Dawn spacecraft gets closer to being captured into orbit around the object. The latest images from Dawn, taken nearly 29,000 miles (46,000 kilometers) from Ceres, reveal that a bright spot that stands out in previous images lies close to yet another bright area.

"Ceres' bright spot can now be seen to have a companion of lesser brightness, but apparently in the same basin. This may be pointing to a volcano-like origin of the spots, but we will have to wait for better resolution before we can make such geologic interpretations," said Chris Russell, principal investigator for the Dawn mission, based at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Using its ion propulsion system, Dawn will enter orbit around Ceres on March 6. As scientists receive better and better views of the dwarf planet over the next 16 months, they hope to gain a deeper understanding of its origin and evolution by studying its surface. The intriguing bright spots and other interesting features of this captivating world will come into sharper focus.

"The brightest spot continues to be too small to resolve with our camera, but despite its size it is brighter than anything else on Ceres. This is truly unexpected and still a mystery to us," said Andreas Nathues, lead investigator for the framing camera team at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Gottingen, Germany.

Dawn visited the giant asteroid Vesta from 2011 to 2012, delivering more than 30,000 images of the body along with many other measurements, and providing insights about its composition and geological history. Vesta has an average diameter of 326 miles (525 kilometers), while Ceres has an average diameter of 590 miles (950 kilometers). Vesta and Ceres are the two most massive bodies in the asteroid belt, located between Mars and Jupiter.

Dawn's mission is managed by JPL for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Dawn is a project of the directorate's Discovery Program, managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. UCLA is responsible for overall Dawn mission science. Orbital ATK, Inc., in Dulles, Virginia, designed and built the spacecraft. The German Aerospace Center, the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, the Italian Space Agency and the Italian National Astrophysical Institute are international partners on the mission team. For a complete list of acknowledgements, visit:
http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission


NASA's Dawn spacecraft obtained these uncropped images of dwarf planet Ceres on Feb. 19, 2015, from a distance of about 29,000 miles (46,000 kilometers). They are part of a series taken as Dawn observed Ceres completing one full rotation, which lasted about nine hours.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/dawn/bright-spot-on-ceres-has-dimmer-companion/index.html#.VO-xinzF8rX

[zorgon]

2 Views of Ceres on Approach




These images of dwarf planet Ceres, processed to enhance clarity, were taken on Feb. 19, 2015, from a distance of about 29,000 miles (46,000 kilometers), by NASA's Dawn spacecraft. Dawn observed Ceres completing one full rotation, which lasted about nine hours.
The images show the full range of different crater shapes that can be found at Ceres' surface: From shallow, flattish craters to those with peaks at their centers. These views show sections of Ceres' surface that are similar to those in PIA19056.
Dawn is due to be captured into orbit around Ceres on March 6.

http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/dawn/pia19183/#.VO-xsHzF8rU

[zorgon]

What could these bright spots be? Chris Russell, principal investigator for the Dawn mission, theorizes:

"Ceres' bright spot can now be seen to have a companion of lesser brightness, but apparently in the same basin. This may be pointing to a volcano-like origin of the spots, but we will have to wait for better resolution before we can make such geologic interpretations."

http://space.io9.com/the-mysterious-bright-spot-on-ceres-has-a-pretty-bright-1688022006

[zorgon]

Original sighting..

NASA Finds Mysterious Bright Spot on Dwarf Planet Ceres: What Is It?


A mysterious white spot can be seen in the newest images from NASA's Dawn space telescope, which is rapidly approaching the dwarf planet.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA/PS

A strange, flickering white blotch found on the dwarf planet Ceres by a NASA spacecraft has scientists scratching their heads.

The white spot on Ceres in a series of new photos taken on Jan. 13 by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, which is rapidly approaching the round dwarf planet in the asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. But when the initial photo release on Monday (Jan. 19), the Dawn scientists gave no indication of what the white dot might be.

"Yes, we can confirm that it is something on Ceres that reflects more sunlight, but what that is remains a mystery," Marc Rayman, mission director and chief engineer for the Dawn mission, told Space.com in an email

http://www.space.com/28336-mysterious-white-spot-on-ceres.html

[zorgon]

Reminds me of the ESA one on Asteroid Eros

[zorgon]

Water Detected on Dwarf Planet Ceres

http://www.thelivingmoon.com/20UMLR/03files/Ceres_Water.html

[astr0144]

Bright lights on dwarf planet perplex NASA as probe nears.



The discovery of another bright light on the dwarf planet Ceres has NASA scientists perplexed as the US Dawn probe prepares to enter the orbit of the largest object in the asteroid belt and possibly resolve the mystery.

Related Stories

Mystery Spot on Dwarf Planet Ceres Has Mysterious Partner (Photos) SPACE.com
We've never seen the dwarf planet Ceres up close. That's about to change. Vox.com
Mysterious Bright Spots Shine on Dwarf Planet Ceres (Photos) SPACE.com
NASA Briefing to Discuss First Spacecraft Arrival at a Dwarf Planet PR Newswire
The images taken nearly 29,000 miles (46,000 kilometers) from Ceres show that a bright spot on the planet scientists previously discovered appears next to another slightly darker spot, NASA said in a news release.

The light appears in the same basin as the other spot, images released by NASA show.

"This may be pointing to a volcano-like origin of the spots, but we will have to wait for better resolution before we can make such geologic interpretations," Chris Russell from the Dawn mission said.

The Dawn probe will enter the orbit of Ceres March 6. Scientists expect to receive better views of the mystery lights as the spacecraft closes in and spirals nearer the dwarf planet.

"The brightest spot continues to be too small to resolve with our camera, but despite its size it is brighter than anything else on Ceres. This is truly unexpected and still a mystery to us," said scientist Andreas Nathues who is in charge of the camera.

Scientists detected water vapor emitting from Ceres in 2012 and NASA reports the surface of the body contains "water-bearing minerals."

Launched in 2007, the Dawn probe was sent to investigate the two largest bodies in the asteroid belt, which lies between Mars and Jupiter.

Dawn explored giant asteroid Vesta starting in 2011, providing measurements and images. After 2012, the probe left Vesta's orbit and began its journey to Ceres.

Ceres has a diameter of about 590 miles (950 kilometers) and Vesta has a diameter of about 326 miles (525 kilometers).

http://news.yahoo.com/bright-lights-dwarf-planet-perplex-nasa-probe-nears-035329370.html

[zorgon]

Looks like three of us posted this   I merged the three

[astr0144]

Apologies, I had missed the other posts...

but maybe 3 descriptions maybe better...hope they vary  enough  not to repeat to similarly...

Looks like three of us posted this   I merged the three

[RUSSO]

Thanks to user ZLD from http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=7981&st=195





Composition

Where there were two, now there are 10! Ceres photographed on May 3 and 4 by NASA's Dawn spacecraft show multiple white spots inside the 57-mile-wide crater located in the asteroid's  northern hemisphere. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA / montage by Tom Ruen

Source: http://www.universetoday.com/120244/ceres-white-spots-multiply-in-latest-dawn-photos/

[RUSSO]

Revised Ceres map:



Source:http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=7981&st=270


Mission Status Updates

- from Chief Engineer/ Mission Director, Marc Rayman (JPL)
2015
May 26, 2015 - Dawn Reaching to Lower Altitudes

Dawn is following the carefully plotted trajectory around Ceres, maneuvering to prepare for its second mapping campaign next month. The probe's mapping orbits are nearly circular, but during the flight from one to another, the intermediate orbits are more elliptical. Tonight Dawn's complicated route will take it temporarily below the targeted mapping orbital altitude of 2,700 miles (4,400 kilometers). It will descend to 2,500 miles (4,100 kilometers) tomorrow before beginning another ascent.

On May 22 Dawn photographed Ceres to help the navigation team maintain a tight fix on its orbital position. Controllers used the opportunity to acquire bonus visible and infrared spectra.

Source:http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status.html

Mound:

Heres another way of viewing the mound in RC3. Centered and rotated the frames to reproject a flyover of the area. The mound appears to be sitting on either highlands or an uplift of some sort. Interesting!

Source:http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=7981&st=285

The "cone":

This appears to be stranger than it first appeared to me. It almost seems to be a conical depression rather than a crater. Then, the bright areas appear to maybe even be flows from this depression. Maybe this is a ground level geyser?

Source:http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=7981&st=285

[zorgon]

I will add all that to our Ceres pages

There is also THIS

Water Detected on Dwarf Planet Ceres
http://umlr.net/03files/Ceres_Water.html



Ceres ~ Small Dwarf Planet - Asteroid Belt
http://umlr.net/03files/Ceres_Asteroid_Belt.html