Explanation:
Does Ceres have underground pockets of water?
Ceres, the largest asteroid in the
asteroid belt, was thought to be composed of rock and ice.
At the same time,
Ceres was known to have unusual bright spots on its surface.
These
bright spots were clearly imaged during Dawn's
exciting approach in 2015.
Analyses of Dawn images and spectra indicated that the
bright spots arise from the residue of highly-reflective salt water that used to
exist on
Ceres' surface but evaporated.
Recent analysis indicates that some of this water
may have originated from deep inside Ceres, indicating
Ceres to be a kindred spirit with several
Solar System moons, also thought to harbor deep water
pockets.
The featured video shows in false-color pink the bright evaporated brine named
Cerealia Facula in
Occator Crater.
In 2018, the
mission-successful
but
fuel-depleted Dawn
spacecraft was placed in a distant parking orbit,
keeping it away from the Ceres' surface for at least 20 years to avoid interfering
with any
life that might there exist.
Experts Debate:
How will humanity first discover
extraterrestrial life?