NASA ’s Dawn spacecraft is slowly moving further away from Ceres , but that does n’t mean it ca n’t snap some unbelievable picture of the dwarf planet .
In this latest release of range of a function from theJet Propulsion Laboratory(JPL ) , there is a close - up shot of Ceres ’ most famous characteristic – the Occator Crater – which hosts a rummy shiny fleck at its nerve center that is believed to be ahalovolcano , a salt - ptyalise geological feature possibly trigger by the impact that constitute the crater .
Occator is 92 kilometers ( 57 mile ) wide and 4 kilometre ( 2.5 miles ) inscrutable , quite the scar on an physical object that is only 945 kilometers ( 587 miles ) across . Dawn was at an altitude of 1,480 kilometers ( 920 miles ) when it take this side image of the Occator Crater , show its central bright stain , other reflective field , and the ridgeline of the crater illuminated by the Sun at an angle not documented before .
The new view of Occator Crater with the halovolcano in the center of attention . NASA / JPL - Caltech / UCLA / MPS / DLR / IDA
" This image captures the wonder of soar upwards above this fascinating , unique earth that Dawn is the first to research , " said Marc Rayman , Dawn ’s chief engineer and commission music director , in astatement .
Dawn reached that altitude in early October , after a climb that started in August . The investigation was flying nearer to the surface of Ceres than the ISS is to Earth , which allowed Dawn to take some fantastically detailed images of the gnome planet .
The 2nd give up picture ( top ikon ) is actually from 2015 as Dawn was approaching Ceres . By combining the camera ’s red , green , and gamy filters , the scientists were capable to hearten what the midget planet would look like to the human middle .
The space vehicle is now moving to its 6th scientific discipline orbit , at an altitude of 7,200 kilometers ( 4,500 mile ) , where it will refine antecedently collected measurements . The probe started the climb on November 4 and it will reach the new orbit in early December .
Dawn moves thanks to an ion engine that , while it provides very little driving force , can be fired for awhile with only a modest amount of fuel . It is incredibly honest , but it take a long clip to move the craft .
Dawn is currently in its extended mission after having successfully visited the asteroid Vest between 2011 and 2012 , and then traveling to Ceres where it has been revolve for almost two years .
