wiki word: 

                         Ceres

Discovery:

discovered Januay 1st 1801 by the astronomer Guiseppe Piazzi

Facts:

• is considered both an asteroid and a dwarf star
• it is the smallest dwarf planet in the solar system
• it is the only dwarf planet in the asteroid belt
• the surface of Ceres is probably covered in water ice and other hydrated materials
• is too dim to see with the naked eye
• orbit takes 4.6 years to complete
• is 90% of the mass of the asteroid belt
• it's mass allows it to retain the shape of a sphere

Images:

         Diagram of Ceres's Layers          Image of Ceres from the Hubble Space Telescope 

SO WHAT??? SECTION: 

This term is important for us to know because the more we know about Ceres, the more we learn about asteroids, dwarf planets and the asteroid belt. As we recently learned in the video, Biggest Things in Space, it is sometimes difficult to determine whether a large rock in space is an asteroid, or a dwarf planet. Ceres is a prime example of this because it is both the smallest dwarf planet and the largest asteroid we know of. In the future asteroids could be used to hold anchored space stations to save money and fuel.

References:

"Dawn Mission to Explore Asteroids." Lunar and Planetary Institute (2008) 5/8/08 <http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/score/news/vol27.shtml>.

James, Andrew. "Ceres: Part 1." Southern Astronomical Delights 8/19/06 5/9/08 <http://www.geocities.com/ariane1au/PageCeres000.htm>.

Loewen, Nancy. Dwarf Planets: Pluto, Charon, Ceres, and Eris (Amazing Science) . 1. Picture Windows Books, 2008.

"Ceres (dwarf planet)." Wikipedia. 2008. Wikimedia Foundation Inc.. 5/11/08 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceres_(dwarf_planet)>.