Ceres is a dwarf planet located within the main asteroid belt, between Mars and Jupiter. The dwarf planet got its name in honor of the Roman goddess of agriculture and abundance, Ceres. Consisting mainly of rock and ice formations, it is approximately 950 km in diameter.
Discovery of a dwarf planet
Ceres - an asteroid or still a planet? Accidentally discovered in 1801 by the Italian astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi, an unknown celestial body was first identified as a comet, then there were suggestions that it was an asteroid. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union formed a new class of solar system objects known as dwarf planets. Ceres began to be considered a planet, though a dwarf one, along with Vesta, Juno and others.
Physical characteristics and composition of the planet
Scientists believe that Ceres has a rocky core and an icy mantle 100 kilometers thick. Some of them also believe that shethere is a liquid water layer up to 200 million cubic kilometers. This assumption makes the dwarf planet an interesting target for researchers looking for signs of extraterrestrial life. NASA launched a study called Don, whose mission was to make space travel directly into the asteroid belt to collect data on the surface features and chemical composition of the dwarf.
Spectral analysis showed the presence of trace minerals and water, and in some places, probably also an ice cover. According to astronomers, the planet Ceres (NASA photos give reason to think so) may have much more fresh water deposits than on Earth, and they occupy an area equal to the territory of India, Argentina or 4% of the lunar surface. The outer layer is rather porous, with the possible presence of iron-rich clay rocks and carbonates.
NASA Research
There is no more doubt about the refutation of the fact that the planet Ceres is an asteroid, one of those that make up its orbit. NASA's robotic spacecraft Don entered planetary orbit on March 6, 2015. Pictures of the object were taken back in January 2015, when the ship was just approaching Ceres. The camera captured two bright spots in one of the craters. On March 3, 2015, a NASA spokesperson reported that these could be traces of ice or s alt. On May 11, 2015, higher resolution images were released showing more light spots.
Ice, fire and geological development
The surface of Ceres is relatively warm. The maximum temperature reaches -38 °C. Ice at this temperature is rather unstable. Thanks to the ultraviolet observations of the IUE spacecraft, a significant amount of hydroxide ions was detected at the planet's North Pole. They are the product of water evaporation due to ultraviolet solar radiation.
The geological development of the rocky and icy surface was directly dependent on the heat sources available during and after the formation of a cosmic object such as Ceres (a dwarf planet). These processes are also likely to be associated with certain volcanic and tectonic movements. Ice formations on the surface gradually rose, covering minerals in the form of clay and carbonates.
The planet Ceres in astrology and mythology
In astrology, Ceres (the planet) is a symbol of the bond between parent and child. There is no greater love on earth than the love of a mother for her child. In medical astrology, the defeat of Ceres indicates the presence of a reproductive problem and infertility. As a celestial body, the planet is responsible for efficiency, diligence and the ability to worthily carry out professional assignments, productive ideas, projects and creations.
In mythology, Ceres (the planet), the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Demeter, was the sister of Zeus (Jupiter). She is the mother of all the earth and is responsible forharvest, cooking, love, abundance and comfort. She was the goddess of agriculture, and when her daughter Persephone (Proserpina) was kidnapped by Pluto, who wanted to force her to marry him, Ceres was so carried away by the search for her daughter that she abandoned her care for the Earth, which became completely cold. This is how the autumn and winter seasons were characterized. In spring and summer, Hermes returned Persephone to her mother, and everything around blossomed.
Ceres is a dwarf planet on the same level as Pluto, which is an equal player along with the rest of the participants in the cosmic field of the solar system. This is the largest of all the small planets discovered by mankind.
