PROFILEDwarf planet
More than a rock
Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt. Some bright areas contain salts, offering clues to the history of materials and liquids inside it.
Dawn’s visit
NASA’s Dawn spacecraft arrived at Ceres in 2015 and studied it from orbit. It was the first spacecraft to visit a dwarf planet.
FACTS TO EXPLORE
ORBITAL PERIODabout 4.6 Earth years
LOCATIONAsteroid belt
Values are rounded. AU means astronomical unit. NASA source ↗
