Detection of steam emitted from dwarf planet Ceres

For the first time a telescope detected steam rising from Ceres, the largest dwarf planet in the solar system's asteroid belt.

The Herschel Space Observatory first observed the evaporation process on Ceres's surface, Space.com led the press release of the Dynamics Laboratory (JPL) of the Aeronautics Agency. US cylinder (NASA).

Ceres, about 950 km in diameter, is classified as a dwarf planet, larger than asteroids but smaller than the planet.

Ceres dwarf planet resides in the solar system's main asteroid belt - (Photo: NASA / JPL)

According to the mission of the European Space Agency in collaboration with NASA, Herschel uses far-infrared vision to observe the action of water vapor on Ceres.

'This is the first time that steam has been detected in an object in the asteroid belt, providing evidence that Ceres has an ice-filled surface with the atmosphere,' said lead researcher Michael Kuppers.

Scientists believe that Ceres has a structure consisting of internal rock and thick outer ice, which, if melted, could provide more fresh water than any other source of water on Earth.

NASA also deployed its own mission, called Dawn , and now moves toward Ceres after spending more than a year around the asteroid Vesta.

Dawn will arrive in Ceres in early 2015.

'We are deploying a spacecraft to Ceres, and there is no need to wait long to learn more about the processes that are taking place on this dwarf planet,' said JPL expert Carol Raymond.

Dawn will draw topographic maps and chemicals on Ceres' surface with high resolution, promising to discover the mysteries behind the phenomenon.