NASA enlists public help in solving the mystery of Ceres

NASA has yet to decide what lies on Ceres.

Scientists from NASA are seeking answers for the mysteries of moon-like dwarf planet Ceres. On Wednesday, the agency announced they are accepting suggestions from the public that they report would be taken "very seriously."

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - After 7-and-a-half years, space probe Dawn completed its orbit of Ceres in March this year. The probe traveled for about 4.9 billion kilometers and sent photos of Ceres' surface, which showed odd features. Among the curious features is a 6-km-high protrusion NASA refers to as "Lonely Mountain." 

Christopher Russell, the space probe's principal investigator, said that they are having difficulty in understanding and determining where the formation may have come from. During the space conference in Nantes, western France, NASA received several suggestions from the public concerning Lonely Mountain, though the exact number of suggestions was not revealed. 

Russell told the reporters that one email from a Dawn probe fan stated that the protrusion reminded him of some ice structures he had observed in a wood while living in Arkansas. 

"These ice structures started just poking out (of the ground). Each one of them had a rock or something like that protecting the surface, keeping it cool," explained Russell.

Discovery News reported Russell adding, "Maybe our lonely mountain was some sort of ice construct. We're taking suggestions like this very seriously."

Russell also told reporters that they still have no idea what the blue ring on the planet was. However, NASA speculates it is salt.

NASA claims that although Ceres' mysteries have increased following the space probe orbit, some answers will be determined following closer contact and Dawn's final orbit this October through December.

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