What is flashing us from mysterious dwarf planet? Riddle of Ceres' deepens .. ANOTHER flashing mark

www.dailymail.co.uk ^ | 02-27-2015 | By Ellie Zolfagharifard

[Red Badger]

Ceres continues to baffle astronomers as the Dawn spacecraft gets closer to being captured into orbit around the dwarf planet.

The latest images, taken nearly 29,000 miles (46,000km) from Ceres, reveal that a bright 'alien' spot that stands out in previous images lies close to yet another bright area.

While Nasa has not provided an explanation, scientists suggest these spots may be frozen pools of ice at the bottom of a crater that reflect light.

'Right now, all we can say is that the material reflects 40 per cent or more of the light falling on it,' UCLA astronomer Chris Russell, the principal investigator for the Dawn mission, told NBC News.

'This limit is because of the resolution of the camera at this distance from Ceres. If the final answer is that it reflects all the light that falls on it, then the most probable reflector would be ice.'

He added that there may be a volcano-like origin of the spots, but that Nasa will have to wait for better resolution before we can make such geologic interpretations.

Using its ion propulsion system, Dawn will enter orbit around Ceres on March 6.

When it does, it will become the first human-made probe to visit the 'Death Star' planet - and scientists hope it will uncover the secrets behind its mysterious white spot.

[Toespi]

“They’re diamonds the size of school buses!”

Do not say that! Mooch will be fueling up AF1!

[TigersEye]

If they were lobsters that would be one thing.

[Mike Darancette]

This is ceres; maybe it is a Death Star.

[Rocky]

Wow. Pluto must be feeling really bad to hear the Ceres has been promoted to “planet” while he was demoted to insignificant rock.

[Oatka]

Looks like the mystery has been solved.

However, "They" misspelled "Ceres":

[Las Vegas Dave]

Of possible interest (pings).

What is flashing us from mysterious dwarf planet? Riddle of Ceres’ spots deepens as probe finds ANOTHER flashing mark
Ceres orbits the sun between Mars and Jupiter, and may have water gushing from its surface
Latest images to reveal the mystery patch were taken by Dawn at a distance of 29,000 miles (46,000 km)
Scientists suggest these strange spots may be frozen pools of ice at the bottom of a crater that reflect light
Dawn is currently travelling to meet Ceres in March where it will attempt to understand its geological history

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2969463/Another-alien-mark-Ceres-Dawn-probe-spots-dimmer-companion-close-dwarf-planet-s-strange-bright-spot.html#ixzz3T2OsJrJc
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[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Las Vegas Dave, extra to APoD, and to all those who have posted FR's fine ceres of topics about Ceres. A few keywords, sorted, blah blah blah:

• What is flashing us from mysterious dwarf planet? Riddle of Ceres' deepens .. ANOTHER flashing mark [2015]
• NASA scientists stumped by mystery 'alien lights' on dwarf planet Ceres [2015]
• Planet you've probably never heard of [2015]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Dark Craters and Bright Spots Revealed on Asteroid Ceres [2015]
• Dawn Approaches: Two Faces of Ceres [2015]
• Closer view of Ceres shows multiple white spots [2015]
• An Even Closer View of Ceres Shows Multiple White Spots Now [2015]
• First Hubble and Now Dawn Have Seen This White Spot on Ceres. What is it? [2015]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Approaching Asteroid Ceres [2015]
• Dawn Spacecraft Will Take Pictures Of Its Target Asteroid Today [2014]
• Radiation Blast Delays NASA Spacecraft's Arrival At Dwarf Planet Ceres [2014]
• Ancient Asteroid Impacts Left Serpentine Traces On Vesta: Study [2014]
• Ceres and Vesta Converge in the Sky on July 5: How to See It [2014]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Mars, Ceres, Vesta [2014]
• This Dwarf Planet Might Have More Fresh Water Than All Of Earth [2014]
• Herschel Discovers Water Vapor Spewing from Ceres [2014]
• Mystery of Huge Asteroid Vesta's Formation Deepens [2013]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Humanity Explores the Solar System [2013]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Bright Jupiter in Taurus [2012]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Leaving Vesta [2012]
• Asteroid #2 down; on to Asteroid #1! [2012]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Conjunctions near Dawn [2012]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Virtual Flight Over Asteroid Vesta [2012]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Vesta Rocks [2012]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Vesta Rocks [2011]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- A Landslide on Asteroid Vesta [2011]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- The South Pole of Asteroid Vesta [2011]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Stereo Vesta [2011]
• Three New "Plutos"? Possible Dwarf Planets Found [2011]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Asteroid Vesta Full Frame [2011]
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Vesta Vista [2011]
• NASA Probe to Uncover Secrets of Brightest Asteroid Vesta ('Dawn' probe to orbit protoplanet) [2011]
• Vesta Ahoy! [2011]
• Giant Asteroid Vesta Revealed in NASA Spacecraft's 1st Photo [2011]
• Trips to Mars in 39 Days? [2009]
• Craters on Vesta and Ceres could hold key to Jupiter's age [2009]
• Are You Cereous? Life Came from an Asteroid? [2009]
• NASA's New Target: A manned mission to an asteroid sounds far-fetched... [2007]
• Dawn Liftoff at Dawn... on mission to Ceres and Vesta [2007]
• NASA's Dawn Spacecraft Begins Trek to Asteroid Belt [2007]
• NASA to embark on asteroid-belt mission (DAWN -- launch set for just after sunrise Thursday 9/27/07) [2007]
• Study: Miscanthus More Than Twice as Productive as Switchgrass for Energy Crop [2007]
• NASA delays launch of Dawn spacecraft (Cape Canaveral: Rescheduled) [2007]
• Asteroid mission postponed until July 15 (NASA's Dawn spacecraft destined for Vesta and Ceres) [2007]
• Dawn spacecraft to blast off Sunday on mission to 2 asteroids [2007]
• Just a few more days for your name to rise with Dawn (Put your name onboard a spacecraft) [2006]
• Pluto's Brave New Worlds (Astronomers' Org. Proposal: There Are Now At Least 12 Planets) [2006]
• NASA Restarts Canceled Asteroid Mission -- DAWN [2006]
• NASA Reviews Canceled Asteroid Mission -- ("unusual move", new evidence, 'Dawn' lives?) [2006]
• NASA Asteroid [Dawn] Mission Won't Launch This Year [2006]
• Icy World Found Inside Asteroid [2005]
• Probe To 'Look Inside' Asteroids [2004]

[Colonel_Flagg]

What is flashing us from mysterious dwarf planet?

Whatever it is, its Instagram account is registered to Anthony Weiner.

[SunkenCiv]

Whoops! And thanks Red Badger for posting this and pinging me. :’) [blush]

[null and void]

I don’t want to say its aliens but its aliens. :-)

Indeed...

[fivecatsandadog]

If you find the title/author, please ping me. Would love to read it. Thanks!

[MHGinTN]

Ah, so the majority of Tiamat’s Ocean collected into a ball and remained in the solar system as this little planet. Okay!

[Sam Cree]

NAV lights

[Windflier]

What is flashing us from mysterious dwarf planet?

[Windflier]

On a more Cereous note, I'm leaning towards the ice pool theory to explain these lights.

It would shatter the world view and understanding of our universe to discover that it's really a couple of motherships parked there. Can't have that y'know.

[Red Badger]

Call from a Distant Shore

http://www.fictiondb.com/author/stephen-l-burns~call-from-a-distant-shore~109695~b.htm