Pharoah way to go: What is that pyramid discovered on dwarf planet Ceres?

Scientists are investigating a mysterious, pyramid-shaped mountain on the surface of Ceres. The triangular peak was spotted by NASA’s Dawn spacecraft as it orbited 2,700 miles above the distant dwarf planet. The mountain towers three miles above Ceres’ flat surface - more than half the height of Everest. “Curiouser & curiouser. @NASA_Dawn sees pyramid-shaped peak,” NASA tweeted after taking images of the mystery mountain.

The surface of Ceres has revealed many interesting and unique features. For example, icy moons in the outer solar system have craters with central pits, but on Ceres central pits in large craters are much more common.

Carol Raymond, deputy principal investigator for the Dawn mission

As the craft gets closer to Ceres - the largest object in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter - more and more features are beginning to reveal themselves. They include “mysterious bright spots” in a 55-mile-wide crater. At least eight spots can be seen in the largest bright area, which scientists think is approximately six miles wide. At least eight spots can be seen in the largest bright area, which scientists think is approximately six miles wide.

The surface of Ceres has revealed many interesting and unique features.

Carol Raymond

Science Ceres pyramid