Asteroid Ceres

The largest known asteroid, Ceres, is approximately 590 miles (950 kilometers) across—roughly the size of Texas—making it a true giant among the rocky bodies of the solar system. Ceres resides in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, sharing space with tens of thousands of other asteroids of varying sizes. In fact, Ceres is so massive that it contains nearly one-third of the total mass of the entire asteroid belt and has enough gravity to pull itself into a spherical shape, a characteristic that led to its reclassification as a dwarf planet in 2006. Hubble's observations have revealed intriguing features on Ceres' surface, including possible water ice and mysterious bright spots that hint at geological activity. This ancient world serves as a pristine time capsule from the early solar system, preserving clues about planetary formation and the processes that shaped our cosmic neighborhood over 4.5 billion years ago.