Ceres Coming into View

[Knight of Clear Skies]

The latest from the Dawn probe, finally beating Hubble resolution.

[Brave Sir Robin]

Wowsers!

I can't wait to see the data and close up pics of Ceres - This year is going to be an amazing year for probes! Dawn, New Horizons, the ongoing Rosetta mission and (hopefully) a resurrected Philae lander at some point.

The stuff from Vesta is fascinating, that body really took a pounding. What secrets does Ceres hold for us I wonder?

Is it me, or at the end of this gif, there appear to be what look like Maria (probably not volcanic) in a crater directly pointing at the camera...?

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very nice indeed

[DaveS]

Ceres looks more like a *world* than any of the other small bodies we've seen so far. Can see why it's classed as a "Dwarf Planet" rather than an "Asteriod" as Vesta is.

[Dave In Vermont]

Wow! Fantastic! I could go on.....

Thank you for posting this. Amazing .gif you found.

Clear Skies,

Dave

[DazC]

That's amazing.

Can't wait for some close ups.

D.C

[ghostdance]

Dave in Vermont said it for me.

*What* a little cutie!

Thanks for posting!

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Getting closer, here's a couple of the latest images:

[LukeSkywatcher]

Stunning images. I still cant bring myself to think of it as a dwarf planet or even a Plutoid. Its clearly not an asteroid either (as i like to think of it as being). If anything i would compare it to a planetary Moon, much like out own (except it isnt orbiting any planet).

[Brave Sir Robin]

Brilliant! Looks like some kind of impact basin at the south Pole. Cheers for posting the pics!

Brave sir Robin ran away. Bravely ran away-away.

[iamjulian]

... Its clearly not an asteroid either (as i like to think of it as being)...

It's definitely still an asteroid. Just because we now know what it looks like... Not unlike Vesta actually, another definite asteroid I know what you mean though, definitely moon like. I suspect Pluto will also look moon like. All super exciting though. Cannot wait.

[impactcrater]

Dwarf planet ? Where's Sneezy ?