Spanish scientists from the Andalusian Institute of Astrophysics have called the dwarf planet Ceres a promising place to search for extraterrestrial life. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Geological Society of America (GSA).
Ceres is the smallest of the known dwarf planets in the Solar System. Its diameter is approximately 950 km. The celestial body is located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, 263.8 million kilometers from Earth.
The team examined data from the Dawn space probe and mapped the organic-rich regions of Ceres. Modeling results showed that the distribution of organic matter is related to the locations of asteroid impacts on the surface of a minor planet.
“Although the origins of organics are not fully understood, we have strong evidence that they form on Ceres and possibly in the presence of water. Astrophysicist Juan Rizos, one of the study’s authors, said there is a possibility that a large reservoir of organic molecules may exist within Ceres.”
Ceres is among the high priority targets of the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Project planned for 2023-2032.
Previous scientists I learnedThat Ceres formed in the coldest place in the solar system.