Bright "lights" on Ceres. What are they?

[GregRedd]

The mysterious bright spots on the dwarf planet Ceres are better resolved in a new sequence of images taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft on May 3 and 4, 2015. The images were taken from a distance of 8,400 miles (13,600 kilometers).

In this closest-yet view, the brightest spots within a crater in the northern hemisphere are revealed to be composed of many smaller spots.

However, their exact nature remains unknown. (source link: http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/dawn/ceres-a...-bright-spots/



I reckon it's just ice sheets reflecting sunlight, but how cool would it be if it turns out to be something less natural, more alien-made?

[DieGrootHammer]

It's really cool to see such high res photo's of the other bodies in our solar system.

[Tsar]

NAzis.................

[VirtualForce]

NAzis.................

Can I go them? puuuuuurdy please? I will make it as painful and sadistic as possible! They are my fav enemy!

lol @ Ceres though, thought it something at Ceres. Would be interesting to find out what it, some kind of crystal reflecting light perhaps?

[_Caboose_]

And here i thought you were talking about the fruit juice :/

[Mister 44]

Looks like those spots are all inside impact craters. Phosphorus in the ground exposed by recent meteor strikes maybe? Or maybe the meteor strike caused the sand to silicate (make glass).

[DieGrootHammer]

Looks like those spots are all inside impact craters. Phosphorus in the ground exposed by recent meteor strikes maybe? Or maybe the meteor strike caused the sand to silicate (make glass).

Look at you, all science-ey and logical. It's a good look on you, you should keep it...

Apparently it's not the first "lights" found on other cosmic bodies. Seems they've been spotted on Io and Mars. Think this is probably one of the best and most high-res photos taken of the phenomenon.

[Mister 44]

Look at you, all science-ey and logical. It's a good look on you, you should keep it...

Apparently it's not the first "lights" found on other cosmic bodies. Seems they've been spotted on Io and Mars. Think this is probably one of the best and most high-res photos taken of the phenomenon.

Oi! I can do science. Don't look so surprised.

[Tom]

Lol... Im with everyone that thought of Ceres the juice... I thought there was something wierd happening on the farm in cape town

[GregRedd]

Lol... Im with everyone that thought of Ceres the juice... I thought there was something wierd happening on the farm in cape town

Innocent enough assumption to make I guess - I imagine there's a good few aliens floating around in Ceres.

Looks like those spots are all inside impact craters. Phosphorus in the ground exposed by recent meteor strikes maybe? Or maybe the meteor strike caused the sand to silicate (make glass).

Could well be. Some clever folks (rocket scientists ) are suggesting it could be a result of cryovolcanic activity - an ice volcano.