Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt with a diameter of 945 kilometers (587 miles) across, it is the 33rd largest known body in the solar system. Ceres is the only dwarf planet identified orbiting entirely within the orbit of Neptune according to Rick Stankiewicz. So why do I bring up Ceres you ask? Well, these bright spots on the surface of Ceres has captivated scientists since they were first discovered. If you thought that the bright spots were alien settlements, think again. NASA's Dawn Probe, which was launched in September 2007. Dawn arrived at Ceres March 6th, 2015 and ruled out the possibility of the alien settlement, it's sad really. But the Salty truth is, the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research believes that the bright material is some type of magnesium sulfate called hexahydrite (how they know that, I do not know). The hexahydrite has some briny ice-water beneath it and it is possible that an asteroid hit may have brought up some of the salt deposits. The mineral does not emit its own light but instead it reflects 50% of the sunlight hitting it. The Occator crater which is about 90 kilometers (56 miles) across, houses the brightest spots on the surface of Ceres and more detailed images have shown a haze near the surface which may just be water vapor. Dawn will keep sending Earth more images so that scientists can confirm these theories in the near future.
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