Experts from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced on Wednesday, Sept. 30 that they are now seeking public help to solve the mysteries surrounding the dwarf planet, Ceres.
The space agency has sent Dawn, a space probe that traveled approximately three billion miles, to explore Ceres. In March 2015 or seven and a half years after its launch, Dawn has finally reached the so-called dwarf planet. Through this mission, experts are hoping to learn more about the design and composition of Ceres so as to enhance their knowledge about the structure of the Earth and other planets. However, it looks like experts are getting more and more baffled as new information are sent by Dawn.
Among the puzzling mysteries that was brought up is the presence of what experts have dubbed as the "Lonely Mountain," which is an inclined structure that measures approximately four miles in height.
"We're having difficulty understanding what made that mountain and we have been getting many suggestions from the public," Christopher Russell, principal investigator of Dawn, told reporters at a space conference in France.
Russell has received an email from a space fan, who told him that the high protrusion found in Ceres reminded him of the ice construction that he had seen when he lived in Arkansas during the early part of 2015.
According to Russell, the said ice structures began to surface by simply bulging from the ground. He added that each of the said piece had a rock or a covering of some sort that protects its outer part, helping it maintain its cool temperature. With this, he is looking at the possibility that the lonely mountain may be a type of ice structure. "We're taking suggestions like this very seriously."
The space agency has also received multiple suggestions but none has provided precise numbers.
Initially, Ceres, which orbits the sun between Jupiter and Mars, was categorized as a planet. Later on, it was regarded as an asteroid, until it has finally received the "dwarf planet" (with moon-like characteristics) label.
As Dawn captures more images of Ceres, the assumptions become increasingly weirder as well. Another unexplained mystery is the recently discovered bright spots on the surface of Ceres. The source of this white material, which was later assumed by Russell and the team as salt, has not been clearly identified and for this he apologized.
In the conference, Russell also pointed to a blue ring on the Ceres' map, saying, "We have absolutely no idea what that... is due to."
By October 2015 and towards December 2015, Dawn will be inching closer to the surface of the planet, as it embarks on its lowest and final orbit, which is about 233 miles in altitude. Through this event, experts are looking forward to learning more about Ceres.
