Ceres may Contains more Freshwater than Earth Itself, Researchers say (+Video)

Ceres may Contains more Freshwater than Earth Itself,  Researchers say

MYSTERIOUS BRIGHT SPOTS ON CERES: Last year, NASA’s Dawn spacecraft went into orbit around Ceres, a dwarf planet in the asteroid belt. Immediately, researchers were mesmerized by a number of bright spots peppering the planet’s charcoal-gray surface. What were they? 
No one knew, but they hoped that close-up images taken during a low orbit in Feb. 2016 might crack the mystery.

The largest bright spot on Ceres, located at the center of Occator Crater. Dawn took a picture at point-blank range, just 240 miles (385 kilometers) above the crater’s floor. 
By far the best photo ever taken of a bright spot on Ceres, it reveals a dome criss-crossed by numerous linear features and fractures.

It does not, however, solve the mystery. The intricate geometry of the crater interior suggests geologic activity in the recent past, but scientists will need to complete detailed geologic mapping of the crater in order to test multiple hypotheses for its formation.

Astronomers suggest that the bright area might be a crust of salt marking the spot where a briny underground ocean briefly broke through to the surface.

 If so, Ceres might not be as dry as it looks. Indeed, the density of Ceres suggests that 1/3rd of the mass of the dwarf planet is H2O, and some researchers think Ceres contains more freshwater than Earth itself.  

http://spaceweather.com/ 

Sounds like a mystery worth solving…. 
Maybe  it’s time to move to Ceres.

Image credit: NASA