Ceres

Solar System Scratchpad [Boiler Plate]

First body in the asteroid belt discovered, at first thought to be the eight planet, then redesignated the largest asteroid, and later a dwarf planet due to its roundness. It is the only dwarf planet in the asteroid belt. Composed mainly of water ice. Second destination for the Dawn spacecraft.

Ceres In The News

Dawn Prepares For Launch (Apr-May 2007)

http://www.flatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070517/NEWS02/705170330/1007/news02 http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/mar010507.xml&headline=Preparations%20Accelerate%20For%20Planetary%20Probes%20&channel=space http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/releases/2007/release-20070410.html

Could Life Have Come From Ceres? (Mar 2009)

Year of the Solar System (Feb 2011)

See also Comet 103P/Hartley 2, Sun, Comet 9P/Tempel 1, Mercury, Vesta, Ceres, Jupiter, Moon

• http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/115728399.html

Dawn Approaching Vesta (Jun 2011)

• http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2011/0623/NASA-s-Dawn-satellite-has-reached-the-asteroid-belt.-First-stop-Vesta/%28page%29/2

Ceres Features

• http://www.space.com/12692-dwarf-planets-solar-system-tour.html
• http://www.space.com/12261-strangest-asteroids-solar-system-ceres-vesta-apophis.html
• http://www.space.com/12237-greatest-mysteries-asteroid-belt.html

Virtual Tourism

• https://youtu.be/-C4qHzmLT20 (Fly over with Dawn)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrQ5ogj3lG4 (approach)