Ceres Surface Images

Detailed images of Ceres' surface showcasing varied cratered terrains, impact ejecta, and smooth materials captured by NASA's Dawn spacecraft.

Regolith Patterns in Mendel-Rydberg
Regolith Patterns in Mendel-Rydberg
172 assets in this story
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NASA's Dawn spacecraft imaged this terrain, adjacent to Occator Crater on Ceres, which is immediately to the left of this view. This relatively smooth, lightly cratered area is part of the ejecta blanket of Occator.
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This scene from Ceres, captured by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows an older crater (at top center) that has been blanketed by impact ejecta from the younger crater to its right.
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This image, taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows a portion of the northern hemisphere of dwarf planet Ceres from an altitude of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers). The image was taken on Sept. 22, 2015, and has a resolution of 450 feet (140 meters) per pixel.
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This image of smooth material on Ceres was obtained by NASA's Dawn spacecraft on June 9, 2018 from an altitude of about 41 miles (66 kilometers).
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This image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows four large impact craters close to one another on Vesta's surface. Interestingly, each of these four has a distinct preservation state.
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This view from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows the Cerean terrain. The crater in the upper left corner displays smooth, relatively crater-free walls and small spurs of compacted material.
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The interior of Urvara Crater (101 miles, 163 kilometers wide) is featured in this image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft taken on June 2, 2016 at a distance of about 240 miles (385 kilometers) above the surface.
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This image, taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, displays a linear structure trending from northeast to southwest (lower left to upper right). The graben might be interpreted as a chain of collapsed pits or secondary craters.
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Regolith Patterns in Mendel-Rydberg
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This image, taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows a portion of Ceres at mid-latitudes from an altitude of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers). The image, with a resolution of 450 feet (140 meters) per pixel, was taken on August 21, 2015.
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This image, taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows the surface of dwarf planet Ceres from an altitude of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers). The image was taken on September 9, 2015, and has a resolution of 450 feet (140 meters) per pixel.
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This image, taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows a portion of the southern hemisphere of dwarf planet Ceres from an altitude of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers). Toharu crater, named for the Pawnee god of food and vegetation, can be seen at left.
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This view from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows different types of terrain located side by side on Ceres: a smooth terrain at right with numerous small impact craters, and a less-cratered, hummocky terrain at left.
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This image highlights the complex central construct and concentric fractures in the large (78 miles, 126 kilometers) Dantu Crater. It was obtained by NASA's Dawn spacecraft on September 1, 2018 from an altitude of about 1335 miles (2150 kilometers). NASA announced the conclusion of Dawn's mission operations was Oct. 31, 2018, when the spacecraft depleted its hydrazine. The center of Dantu Crater is located at about 24.3 degrees north latitude and 138.2 degrees east longitude. Dantu Crater is named after the Ghanan god associated with the planting of the corn.
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Ceres' Ezinu Crater is seen at top right in this image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft taken on Oct. 21, 2016. The crater features a network of canyon-like features.
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Cratered terrain in the northern hemisphere of Ceres is seen in this image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft. The scene is dotted with small impacts among larger, more ancient craters.
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A portion of the rim of giant Yalode Crater is seen in this image of Ceres. Yalode is approximately 162 miles (260 kilometers) in diameter. NASA's Dawn spacecraft took this image on June 15, 2016.
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This image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows Dantu Crater, which is 78 miles (126 kilometers) across. Its shape is reminiscent of Occator Crater -- in particular, they both have shallow floors and central pits. This suggests melting and possibly some hydrothermal activity occurred following impact that formed Dantu. Part of the energy generated by the impact would have been turned into heat. The relatively warm temperatures found at the low latitudes of Dantu and Occator make it easier for Ceres' ice-rich material to melt as a consequence of impact-generated heat. The unnamed crater seen below Dantu in this image is smaller and has a much rougher floor. This is because the smaller impact event would not have generated as much heat. The numerous bright spots found across the crater suggest bright material may be just below the surface, exposed through small impacts and landslides. Ejected material from Dantu extends up to Kerwan crater, with a dark color reminiscent of material that cam
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The craters in the image, taken Oct. 1, 2015 from NASA's Dawn spacecraft, are characterized by different degrees of freshness, reflecting different ages. The sharply defined crater to right of center is named Takel.
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After passing Mercury the first time and making a trip around the Sun, NASA's Mariner 10 again flew by Mercury on Sept. 21, 1974. This encounter brought the spacecraft in front of Mercury in the southern hemisphere.
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This view from NASA's Dawn spacecraft, taken on May 29, 206, shows part of the floor and eastern rim on Consus Crater (40 miles or 64 kilometers wide) on Ceres.
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This image, taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows dwarf planet Ceres from an altitude of 2,700 miles (4,400 kilometers). The image, with a resolution of 1,400 feet (410 meters) per pixel, was taken on June 6, 2015.
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This view from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows part of Kaikara Crater (45 miles, 72 kilometers wide) on Ceres. The image is centered at 41 degrees north latitude, 226 degrees east longitude.
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This image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows old cratered terrain located on asteroid Vesta's equator. Many of these craters have very degraded, rounded rims.
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Basins Everywhere
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Young Terraces
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A flood of impact melt swept away from the rim of Necho crater.
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This image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows cratered terrain in the northern hemisphere of Ceres. Ikapati crater (top) appears with several flat plains filled by flows, smooth material and ejecta from the crater interior.
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This image, taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows a portion of the southern hemisphere of dwarf planet Ceres from an altitude of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers). The image, with a resolution of 450 feet (140 meters) per pixel, was taken on August 21, 2015.
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This image taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows a region located next to the northwestern rim of Urvara Crater on Ceres. This terrain displays a rugged texture also found within Urvara. Multiple Dawn observations, in particular neutron spectroscopy (which measures the hydrogen content in the regolith) and flow features, have shown that water ice is present near the surface above 40 degrees north latitude, where these features are found. Therefore, the rugged texture may result from the high strength exhibited by ice at the temperatures found at mid- and high latitudes on Ceres. The prominent crater (5.0 miles, 8.8 kilometers in diameter) at right in this picture is called Tawals. Its sharp rim suggests it was created by a relatively recent impact into a relatively strong material. A different view of this crater can be found in PIA20941. Tawals Crater is named after the Polish god of the fields and the tilling. Dawn took this image during its extended mission on August 25, 2016, from
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Slumping rim of Darwin C
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NASA's Dawn spacecraft looked down on Ceres' equatorial region to capture this view of intensely cratered terrain. The image is centered at approximately 3 degrees south latitude, 267 degrees east longitude, just south of Kimis Crater.
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This image, taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows the surface of dwarf planet Ceres from an altitude of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers). The image was taken on August 22, 2015, and has a resolution of 450 feet (140 meters) per pixel.
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This image, taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows a portion of the northern hemisphere of dwarf planet Ceres from an altitude of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers). The image was taken on Sept. 21, 2015, and has a resolution of 450 feet (140 meters) per pixel.
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Lermontov crater was first observed by Mariner 10 and seen here by MESSENGER during its second flyby of Mercury. The crater floor is somewhat brighter than the exterior surface and is smooth with several irregularly shaped depressions.
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The End of Time
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This view from NASA's Dawn spacecraft taken on May 29, 2016, shows the eastern rim of Gaue Crater on Ceres.
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This view from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows terrain near the center of the crater Vinotonus in Ceres' northern hemisphere. Vinotonus is named for a Celtic god of vines known from Britain.
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This image, taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows a portion of the southern hemisphere of dwarf planet Ceres from an altitude of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers). The image was taken on Sept. 20, 2015, and has a resolution of 450 feet (140 meters) per pixel.
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This image, taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows Azacca Crater (31 miles, 50 kilometers wide) at top left, with its prominent set of north-south trending fractures. Dawn took this image on Oct. 17, 2016.
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This image, taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows the surface of dwarf planet Ceres from an altitude of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers). The image, with a resolution of 450 feet (140 meters) per pixel, was taken on August 27, 2015.
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This image, taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows a portion of the southern hemisphere of dwarf planet Ceres from an altitude of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers). The image, with a resolution of 450 feet (140 meters) per pixel, was taken on August 21, 2015.
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This view from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows a scene from the northern hemisphere of Ceres, north of Occator Crater, which is home of the brightest area on the dwarf planet.
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Peak-Ringed Renoir
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Smooth Floor in Copernicus Crater
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This view from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows terrain on Ceres centered at approximately 34 degrees south latitude, 266 degrees east longitude -- between the large basins named Urvara and Yalode.
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Crumpled Crater
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This image of the giant asteroid Vesta was obtained by NASA's Dawn spacecraft in the evening Nov. 27 PST (early morning Nov. 28, UTC), as it was spiraling down from its high altitude mapping orbit to low altitude mapping orbit.
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This observation from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows the central hills in Hale Crater with thousands of seasonal flows on steep slopes below bedrock outcrops.
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Numerous linear crater chains on Ceres dominate this image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft , which is centered at approximately 20 degrees north latitude, 198 degrees east longitude.
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Let the Science Phase Begin!
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Happy Trails
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This image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows a portion of Ikapati Crater on Ceres. Dawn took this image on June 10, 2016, from its low-altitude mapping orbit, at a distance of about 240 miles (385 kilometers) above the surface.
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This view, taken on Oct. 26, 2016, from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows Meanderi Crater on Ceres, seen at lower right. Meanderi hosts several medium-sized craters within its walls.
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The rim of a large sinuous rille on the western edge of the Marius Hills Constellation region of interest.
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A Chance View Inside Ahmad Baba
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This image, from NASA's Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, shows intercrater plains and heavily cratered terrain typical of much of Mercury outside the area affected by the formation of the Caloris basin.
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This image, taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows the surface of dwarf planet Ceres from an altitude of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers). The image was taken on August 23, 2015, and has a resolution of 450 feet (140 meters) per pixel.
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Carnegie Cuts a Crater
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Close up on the lunar floor and craters. Lunar region corresponding to the open plain called Deslandres.
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High-resolution Hollows
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Elysium Mons Volcano - Detail of Southern Caldera Wall and Floor
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This image, taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows a variety of small craters in the northern hemisphere of Ceres. The majority of Ceres images from Dawn show heavily cratered terrains such as this.
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This image taken on August 15, 2016, shows the eastern part of a feature called Nar Sulcus in Yalode Crater on dwarf planet Ceres, as seen by NASA's Dawn spacecraft.
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Slumping features and landslides can be clearly seen near the base of the largest scarp in this image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft. Some of the hummocky terrain near the scarps is probably due to landsliding.
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Ceres' surface shows evidence for different types of flows that indicate the presence of ice in the regolith. One type of flow encircles the large impact crater at right in this image taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft.
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This image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft, taken Dec. 19, 2015, shows part of Messor Crater, at northern mid-latitudes on Ceres. The scene shows an older crater in which a large lobe-shaped flow partly covers the northern (top) part of the crater floor.
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This view from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows the rim of a crater near the south pole of Ceres, taken on Feb. 8, 2016.
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In this image, obtained by the framing camera on NASA's Dawn spacecraft, a set of three craters, informally nicknamed 'Snowman' by the camera's team members, is located in the northern hemisphere of Vesta.
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This view, captured on Oct. 18, 2015 from an altitude of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers) by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows northern mid-latitudes on Ceres, including a small impact crater surrounded by bright material.
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Gassendi's Fractures
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This image, taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows the surface of dwarf planet Ceres from an altitude of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers). The image was taken on August 24, 2015, and has a resolution of 450 feet (140 meters) per pixel.
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This image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows undulating terrain, located only in asteroid Vesta's southern hemisphere, in and around the Rheasilvia impact basin.
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This image was obtained by NASA's Dawn spacecraft on July 29, 2018 from an altitude of about 28 miles (45 kilometers). The center of this picture is located at about 36.5 degrees south latitude and 247.5 degrees east longitude.
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Dark-Haloed Crater Seen by MESSENGER
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The craters in this NAC image display a variety of interesting characteristics. Visible in the lower half of this image are several overlapping impact craters.
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Fretted Terrain
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As NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft's team continued to study the high-resolution images taken during the Mercury flyby encounter on January 14, 2008, scarps (cliffs) that extend for long distances were discovered.
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This uncalibrated image from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's shows the Apollo 14 landing site and nearby Cone crater. The trail followed by the astronauts can clearly be discerned.
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This image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows some of the undulating terrain in asteroid Vesta's southern hemisphere.
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Smooth Slopes
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This image shows a surface shaped by ice. Funnel-shaped craters scattered throughout the image are interpreted as impacts that once had the classic bowl shape, but have now expanded via sublimation. At high resolution the surface is divided by polygonal fractures, spaced a few meters apart. These polygons are common on the northern plains and were seen by the Phoenix Lander. They form when annual temperature cycles cause the ice to fracture as it expands and shrinks. The polygons are especially prominent and well-defined in a shallow pit in the (west-center part of the) image, which may indicate that depth or purity of the ice is different there.
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A scarp, or cliff, extends diagonally from upper left to lower right in this picture of Mercury taken by NASA's Mariner 10. The structures are believed to be formed by the compressive forces due to crustal shortening.
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Southern Rim of Menelaus Crater
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Giant Landslide on Iapetus
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MOC Providing Clues For Future Landing Site Selection
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Rocks outcrop along the rim of Menelaus crater.
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This view from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows the southwestern rim of Sintana Crater. The inside of the crater shows a hummocky surface.
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A Nursery for Hollows
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The largest feature in this image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft is Geshtin crater, which is superposed (located on top of) by the younger Datan crater. On its upper-left rim, Datan is superposed by a smaller, even younger unnamed crater.
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Counting Caloris
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This image, from NASA's Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, shows a broadly curved lobate scarp running from left to right in the large crater to the right of center in this image.
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This picture from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows a crater within the floor of the Mondamin impact basin, which lies in the southern hemisphere of Ceres.
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Looking Down
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This image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft is dominated by bright rayed craters of different sizes. The most prominent bright rayed crater is name Tuccia.
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Eros: Closest View Yet! (36 km altitude)
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AS08-17-2670 (21-27 Dec. 1968) --- Near vertical view of the lunar farside as photographed from the Apollo 8 spacecraft. The center of the picture is located approximately at 162 degrees west longitude and 6 degrees south latitude.
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Pits, Picasso, and Mercury's History
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Textured Terrain in Callisto's Asgard Basin
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The steep northern wall of Tithonium Chasma crosses this image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. Landslide deposits from slope failure can be seen at the lower left corner of the image.