Top 5 Explanations For Those Bizarre Bright Spots On Planet Ceres
(CBS SF) -- NASA scientists are still baffled over exactly what's causing Ceres, the largest body in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, to radiate mysterious bright spots from its cratered surface.
Even before the Dawn spacecraft began orbiting the dwarf planet in March, images revealed several strange brights spots in a crater about 55 miles across. Now scientists are hoping new closer-up images will unravel greater detail about this planet's mysterious past.
"The bright spots in this configuration make Ceres unique from anything we've seen before in the solar system," said Chris Russell, principal investigator for the Dawn mission based at the University of California, Los Angeles.
So far, scientists have found no obvious explanation for the light's locations or brightness levels, but here are the top five theories floating around so far:
1. Volcano
2. Geyser
3. Rock
4. Ice
5. Salt Deposit
Ceres' craters are proof the planet went through some sort of turbulent activity that led to flows, landslides and collapsed structures -- helpful indicators to determine the nature of the bright spots.
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"Reflection from ice is the leading candidate in my mind, but the team continues to consider alternate possibilities, such as salt," Russell said. "With closer views from the new orbit and multiple view angles, we soon will be better able to determine the nature of this enigmatic phenomenon."
The Dawn spacecraft will observe Ceres from 2,700 miles above its surface until June 28 before moving toward its next orbit at 900 miles above the planet in early August.
