Ida and Gaspra http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00332

During its examination of the asteroid Ida, NASA Galileo spacecraft returned images of a second object, Dactyl--the first confirmed satellite or moon of an asteroid; the much smaller moon is visible to the right of Ida. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00333

This is the first full picture showing both asteroid 243 Ida and its newly discovered moon to be transmitted to Earth from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Galileo spacecraft--the first conclusive evidence that natural satellites of asteroids exist. Ida, the large object, is about 56 kilometers (35 miles) long. Ida's natural satellite is the small object to the right. This portrait was taken by Galileo's charge-coupled device (CCD) camera on August 28, 1993, about 14 minutes before the Jupiter-bound spacecraft's closest approach to the asteroid, from a range of 10,870 kilometers (6,755 miles). Ida is a heavily cratered, irregularly shaped asteroid in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter -- the 243rd asteroid to be discovered since the first was found at the beginning of the 19th century. Ida is a member of a group of asteroids called the Koronis family. The small satellite, which is about 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) across in this view, has yet to be given a name by astronomers. It has been provisionally designated '1993 (243) 1' by the International Astronomical Union. ('1993' denotes the year the picture was taken, '243' the asteroid number and '1' the fact that it is the first moon of Ida to be found.) Although appearing to be 'next' to Ida, the satellite is actually in the foreground, slightly closer to the spacecraft than Ida is. Combining this image with data from Galileo's near-infrared mapping spectrometer, the science team estimates that the satellite is about 100 kilometers (60 miles) away from the center of Ida. This image, which was taken through a green filter, is one of a six-frame series using different color filters. The spatial resolution in this image is about 100 meters (330 feet) per pixel. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00136

Nine Galileo Views in Natural Color of Main-Belt Asteroid Ida http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00330

Nine Galileo Views in Exaggerated Color of Main-Belt Asteroid Ida http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00331

This color picture is made from images taken by the imaging system on NASA Galileo spacecraft about 14 minutes before its closest approach to asteroid 243 Ida on August 28, 1993. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00069

This montage of 14 images the time order is right to left, bottom to top shows asterpod Ida as it appeared in the field of view of NASA Galileo camera on August 28, 1993. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00070

This composite image shows the asteroid 243 Ida as seen from NASA's Galileo spacecraft during its approach on August 28, 1993. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00137

This view of the asteroid 243 Ida is a mosaic of five image frames acquired by NASA's Galileo spacecraft solid-state imaging system at ranges of 3,057 to 3,821 kilometers 1,900 to 2,375 miles on August 28, 1993. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00135

NASA's Galileo imaging system captured this picture of the limb of the asteroid 243 Ida about 46 seconds after its closest approach on August 28, 1993, from a range of only 2480 kilometers. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00138

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This image shows JPL Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer instrument onboard NASA Terra satellite on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009 as it passed over Hurricane Ida while situated between western Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula.

On August 27, 2021 Ida crossed over Cuba as a Category 1 Storm. 48 hours later the storm intensified to a Category 4 before making landfall on the coast of Louisiana. The storm was the second most destructive storm to ever make landfall on the Louisiana coast with sustained winds over 150 mph (240 km/h). The rapid intensification process that the storm system underwent is not well understood. Satellite images such as this are helpful as scientists attempt to understand new weather patterns that are emerging with Global Climate Change. Tasked with detecting plant water use and stress, ECOSTRESS's primary mission is to measure the temperature of plants heating up as they run out of water. But it can also measure and track heat-related phenomena like wildfires, heat waves, and volcanoes. ECOSTRESS observations have a spatial resolution of about 77 by 77 yards (70 by 70 meters), which enables researchers to study surface-temperature conditions down to the size of a football field. Due to the space station's unique orbit, the mission can acquire images of the same regions at different times of the day, as opposed to crossing over each area at the same time of day like satellites in other orbits do. This is advantageous when monitoring plant stress in the same area throughout the day, for example. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA24210

NASA's Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), aboard the Aqua satellite, caught views of Hurricane Ida as the high-end Category 4 storm swept ashore around noon local time on Aug. 29, 2021, near Port Fourchon, Louisiana. One snapshot showed the hurricane around 3 a.m. that day while it was still over the Gulf of Mexico. The second view (Figure 1) caught the storm around 1:45 p.m. local time. In the infrared AIRS imagery, purple areas indicate very cold clouds carried high into the atmosphere by towering thunderstorms. These regions are also associated with heavy rainfall. Blue and green indicate warmer areas with shallower rain clouds. The orange and red areas represent mostly cloud-free air. The eye of the hurricane is seen just over the Louisiana coast as a small blue-green area in the middle of the large patch of purple in the after-landfall image. AIRS, in conjunction with the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU), senses emitted infrared and microwave radiation from Earth to provide a three-dimensional look at the planet's weather and climate. Working in tandem, the two instruments make simultaneous observations down to Earth's surface. With more than 2,000 channels sensing different regions of the atmosphere, the system creates a global, three-dimensional map of atmospheric temperature and humidity, cloud amounts and heights, greenhouse gas concentrations, and many other atmospheric phenomena. Launched into Earth orbit in 2002 aboard NASA's Aqua spacecraft, the AIRS and AMSU instruments are managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, under contract to NASA. JPL is a division of Caltech. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA24538

This image was the most detailed picture of then recently discovered natural satellite of asteroid 243 Ida taken by the Galileo Solid-State Imaging camera during its encounter with the asteroid on August 28, 1993. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00297

This image is the first full picture showing both asteroid 243 Ida and its newly discovered moon to be transmitted to Earth from NASA's Galileo spacecraft--the first conclusive evidence that natural satellites of asteroids exist. Ida is the large object to the left, about 56 kilometers (35 miles long). Ida's natural satellite is the small object to the right. This portrait was taken by Galileo's charge-coupled device (CCD) camera on August 28, 1993, about 14 minutes before the spacecraft's closest approach to the asteriod, from a range of 10,870 kilometers (6,755 miles). Ida is a heavily cratered, irregularly shaped asteroid in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter-- the 243rd asteroid to be discovered since the first one was found at the beginning of the 19th century. It is a member of a group of asteroids called the Koronis family. The small satellite, which is about 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) across in this view, has yet to be given a name by astronomers. It has been provisionally designated '1993 (243) 1' by the International Astronomical Union. (The numbers denote the year the picture was taken, the asteroid number and the fact that it is the first moon of Ida to be found.) ALthough the satellite appears to be 'next' to Ida it is actually slightly in the foreground, closer to the spacecraft than Ida. Combining this image with data from Galileo's near-infrared mapping spectrometer, the science team estimates that the object is about 100 kilometers (60 miles) away from the center of Ida. This image is one of a six-frame series taken through different color filters, this one in green. The spatial resolution in this image is about 100 meters (330 feet) per pixel. The Galileo spacecraft flew past Ida en route to its final destination, Jupiter, where it will go into orbit in December 1995. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the galileo Project for NASA's Office of Space Science. (JPL ref. No. P-43731)

iss065e319865 (Aug. 28, 2021) --- Hurricane Ida is pictured as a category 2 storm from the International Space Station as it orbited 263 miles above the Gulf of Mexico.

iss060e038222 (Aug. 21, 2019) --- NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan is pictured in his U.S. spacesuit inside the International Space Station's Quest airlock preparing to begin a six-hour and 32-minute spacewalk to install the orbiting lab’s second commercial crew vehicle docking port, the International Docking Adapter-3 (IDA-3). The IDA-3 will accommodate the future arrivals of Boeing CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX Crew Dragon commercial crew spacecraft.

iss060e038215 (Aug. 21, 2019) --- NASA astronaut Christina Koch poses for a portrait with Andrew Morgan and Nick Hague in their U.S. spacesuits before beginning a six-hour and 32-minute spacewalk to install the orbiting lab’s second commercial crew vehicle docking port, the International Docking Adapter-3 (IDA-3). The IDA-3 will accommodate the future arrivals of Boeing CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX Crew Dragon commercial crew spacecraft.

iss060e043181 (Aug. 21, 2019) --- NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan is pictured working outside the International Space Station during a six-hour and 32-minute spacewalk to install the orbiting lab’s second commercial crew vehicle docking port, the International Docking Adapter-3 (IDA-3). The IDA-3 will accommodate the future arrivals of Boeing CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX Crew Dragon commercial crew spacecraft.

iss060e038228 (Aug. 21, 2019) --- NASA astronaut Nick Hague is pictured in his U.S. spacesuit inside the International Space Station's Quest airlock preparing to begin a six-hour and 32-minute spacewalk to install the orbiting lab’s second commercial crew vehicle docking port, the International Docking Adapter-3 (IDA-3). The IDA-3 will accommodate the future arrivals of Boeing CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX Crew Dragon commercial crew spacecraft.

The International Docking Adapter 3, a critical component for future crewed missions to the International Space Station, is carefully packed away in the unpressurized “trunk” section of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft at the SpaceX facility on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on June 19. It will launch to the orbiting laboratory in July on the company’s 18th commercial resupply mission. The adapter will support future U.S. crewed vehicles visiting the station.

The International Docking Adapter 3, a critical component for future crewed missions to the International Space Station, is carefully packed away in the unpressurized “trunk” section of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft at the SpaceX facility on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on June 19. It will launch to the orbiting laboratory in July on the company’s 18th commercial resupply mission. The adapter will support future U.S. crewed vehicles visiting the station.

The International Docking Adapter 3, a critical component for future crewed missions to the International Space Station, is carefully packed away in the unpressurized “trunk” section of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft at the SpaceX facility on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on June 19. It will launch to the orbiting laboratory in July on the company’s 18th commercial resupply mission. The adapter will support future U.S. crewed vehicles visiting the station.

The International Docking Adapter 3, a critical component for future crewed missions to the International Space Station, is carefully packed away in the unpressurized “trunk” section of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft at the SpaceX facility on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on June 19. It will launch to the orbiting laboratory in July on the company’s 18th commercial resupply mission. The adapter will support future U.S. crewed vehicles visiting the station.

The International Docking Adapter 3, a critical component for future crewed missions to the International Space Station, is carefully packed away in the unpressurized “trunk” section of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft at the SpaceX facility on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on June 19. It will launch to the orbiting laboratory in July on the company’s 18th commercial resupply mission. The adapter will support future U.S. crewed vehicles visiting the station.

The International Docking Adapter 3, a critical component for future crewed missions to the International Space Station, is carefully packed away in the unpressurized “trunk” section of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft at the SpaceX facility on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on June 19. It will launch to the orbiting laboratory in July on the company’s 18th commercial resupply mission. The adapter will support future U.S. crewed vehicles visiting the station.

The International Docking Adapter 3, a critical component for future crewed missions to the International Space Station, is carefully packed away in the unpressurized “trunk” section of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft at the SpaceX facility on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on June 19. It will launch to the orbiting laboratory in July on the company’s 18th commercial resupply mission. The adapter will support future U.S. crewed vehicles visiting the station.

iss065e327057 (Aug. 29, 2021) --- Hurricane Ida is pictured as a category 4 storm nearing the southeast Louisiana coast from the International Space Station. In the foreground, is the Northrop Grumman Cygnus space freighter attached to the Unity module.

iss065e319500 (Aug. 28, 2021) --- Hurricane Ida is pictured as a category 2 storm in this near bird's-eye view from the International Space Station as it orbited 263 miles above the Gulf of Mexico.

International Docking Adapter #2 installation for SpaceX's CRS-9 mission.

International Docking Adapter #2 installation for SpaceX's CRS-9 mission.

International Docking Adapter #2 installation for SpaceX's CRS-9 mission.

International Docking Adapter #2 installation for SpaceX's CRS-9 mission.

ISS048e041836 (07/20/2016) --- NASA astronauts Kate Rubins (left) and Jeff Williams (right) prepare to grapple the SpaceX Dragon supply spacecraft from aboard the International Space Station. The nearly 5,000 pounds of supplies and equipment includes science supplies and hardware, including instruments to perform the first-ever DNA sequencing in space, and the first of two identical international docking adapters (IDA.) The IDAs will provide a means for commercial crew spacecraft to dock to the station in the near future as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Dragon is scheduled to depart the space station Aug. 29 when it will return critical science research back to Earth.

iss065e319769 (Aug. 28, 2021) --- Hurricane Ida is pictured as a category 2 storm from the International Space Station as it orbited 263 miles above the Gulf of Mexico. At upper left, is the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module docked to the Earth-facing port of the Zvezda service module.

iss060e043194 (Aug. 21, 2019) --- NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan waves as he is photographed during a spacewalk to install the International Space Station’s second commercial crew vehicle docking port, the International Docking Adapter-3 (IDA-3).

iss060e043180 (Aug. 21, 2019) --- NASA astronaut Nick Hague takes an out-of-this-world "space-selfie" during a spacewalk to install the International Space Station’s second commercial crew vehicle docking port, the International Docking Adapter-3 (IDA-3).

iss060e043273 (Aug. 21, 2019) --- NASA astronaut Nick Hague is pictured tethered to the forward end of the International Space Station during a spacewalk to install the orbiting lab's second commercial crew vehicle docking port, the International Docking Adapter-3 (IDA-3).

iss065e319494 (Aug. 28, 2021) --- Hurricane Ida is pictured as a category 2 storm from the International Space Station as it orbited 264 miles above the Gulf of Mexico. In the foreground, is the Canadarm2 robotic arm with Dextre, the fine-tuned robotic hand, attached.

iss065e319503 (Aug. 28, 2021) --- Hurricane Ida is pictured as a category 2 storm from the International Space Station as it orbited 263 miles above the Gulf of Mexico. At left, from top to bottom, are the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module, the Soyuz MS-18 crew ship and the Northrop Grumman Cygnus space freighter.

Line drawing charts the Galileo spacecraft's launch from low Earth orbit and its three planetary and two asteroid encounters in the course of its gravity-assisted flight to Jupiter. These encounters include Venus (February 1990), two Earth passes (December 1990 and December 1992), and the asteroids Gaspra and Ida in the asteroid belt. Galileo will release a probe and will arrive at Jupiter, 12-07-95.

S129-E-007317 (21 Nov. 2009) --- This scene of the Bahamas’ Andros Island and the Tongue of the Ocean was captured by one of the STS-129 crewmembers aboard the space shuttle Atlantis during flight day six activities. This scene from Earth orbit appears much more peaceful than earlier in the month, when Hurricane/Tropical Storm Ida was not only threatening but seriously affecting several areas in several oceans. The dark blue area, aptly named "Tongue of the Ocean", is characterized by water depths as great as 3000 meters (almost two miles). The Atlantic Ocean just east of Eleuthra Island is nearly 5000 meters deep. By comparison, the waters of the Bahama Platform are less than 15 meters deep.

S129-E-007318 (21 Nov. 2009) --- This scene of the Bahamas’ Andros Island and the Tongue of the Ocean was captured by one of the STS-129 crew members aboard the space shuttle Atlantis during flight day six activities. This scene from Earth orbit appears much more peaceful than earlier in the month, when Hurricane/Tropical Storm Ida was not only threatening but seriously affecting several areas in several oceans. The dark blue area, aptly named "Tongue of the Ocean", is characterized by water depths as great as 3000 meters (almost two miles). The Atlantic Ocean just east of Eleuthra Island is nearly 5000 meters deep. By comparison, the waters of the Bahama Platform are less than 15 meters deep.

An oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico following Hurricane Ida – a high-end Category 4 when it made landfall near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, on Aug. 29, 2021 – appears as a green trail in the inset false-color graphic provided by NASA's Delta-X project, while the surrounding seawater appears orange. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) regularly monitors U.S. coastal waters for potential spills and noticed slicks that appeared just off the coast after the hurricane. They were able to use this information from Delta-X to corroborate other data they had about oil slicks in the area (satellite image in the second inset picture). The blue-green swath crossing from the Gulf of Mexico over the Louisiana coast denotes the flight path of the Delta-X radar instrument on Sept. 1, just before 11:30 a.m. CDT. Charged with studying the Mississippi River Delta, Delta-X was gearing up to collect data on Louisiana's coastal wetlands when Hurricane Ida barreled ashore in late August. The storm damaged buildings and infrastructure alike, resulting in power outages, flooding, and oil slicks in the Gulf of Mexico. Oil tends to smooth out the bumps on the ocean's surface, which results in a distinct radar signal that the Delta-X mission was able to pick out of their data. Delta-X added flight paths to their planned schedule – with the support of NASA's Applied Science Disaster Program – in order to collect information over the gulf in areas of interest to NOAA. Delta-X is studying two wetlands – the Atchafalaya and Terrebonne Basins – by land, boat, and air to quantify water and sediment flow as well as vegetation growth. While the Atchafalaya Basin has been gaining land through sediment accumulation, Terrebonne Basin, which is right next to the Atchafalaya, has been rapidly losing land. The data collected by the project will be applied to models used to forecast which areas of the delta are likely to gain or lose land under various sea level rise, river flow, and watershed management scenarios. The mission uses several instruments to collect its data. Affixed to the bottom of a Gulfstream-III airplane, one of those instruments, the all-weather Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR), bounces radar signals off of Earth's surface, forming a kind of image of a particular area. Repeated images of the same regions, captured at different times, enable researchers to detect changes in those areas, such as fluctuating water levels beneath the vegetation as the tides move in and out of these wetlands. In addition to radar measurements, teams from Caltech, Louisiana State University, Florida International University, and other collaborating institutions gather water and vegetation samples – among other data – by boat, other airborne sensors, and from instruments on the ground. Funded by NASA's Earth Venture Suborbital (EVS-3) program, Delta-X is managed by the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages JPL for NASA. Fall 2021 was Delta-X's last scheduled field campaign, although the five-year mission will run through the end of 2023. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA24540

A star field in the constellation Cepheus is a composite of two 600-second exposures by the Framing Camera acquired during tests on December 3, 2007.

Each image on this High Resolution Stereo Camera Image Composite HRSC mosaic is of the same location observed by Dawn Framing Camera when it flew by Mars to complete the spacecraft gravity assist maneuver on February 17, 2009.

This view in the southern constellation Carina was acquired on December 13, 2007 as part of the characterization tests of the Framing Camera. The cluster of stars in the center is NGC 3532, and the nebula in the lower right is the Eta Carina Nebula.

This image from NASA Dawn spacecraft of asteroid Vesta shows Helena crater, which is the crater that resembles the shape of a butterfly wings center, and Laelia crater bottom right.

NASA Dawn spacecraft took this view from Ceres on June 16, 2016, showing Ernutet Crater 32 miles, 52 kilometers in diameter at top. NASA's Dawn spacecraft took this image on June 16, 2016, from its low-altitude mapping orbit, at a distance of about 240 miles (385 kilometers) above the surface. The image resolution is 120 feet (35 meters) per pixel. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20833

This image was obtained by NASA's Dawn spacecraft on July 17, 2018 from an altitude of about 25 miles (41 kilometers). The center of this picture is located at about 31.0 degrees south latitude and 248.9 degrees east longitude. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22641

One of the most intriguing features on Ceres, Occator crater, is seen in this oblique view from NASA's Dawn spacecraft. This crater is 60 miles (90 kilometers) across and 2 miles (4 kilometers) deep, and is home to the brightest areas on Ceres. This image was acquired from an altitude of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers). Dawn took this image on Oct. 18, 2015. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20132

This image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows a group of craters, left of center, that resembles a rubber duck. Halki Crater, the "head," is 12 miles (20 kilometers) in diameter, while Telepinu Crater, the "body," is 19 miles (31 kilometers) across. They can be found in the global map of Ceres' names. The "beak" crater is unnamed. Halki and Telepinu have both been recently added to the list of official names for Ceres' geological features. They are both named after Hittite (Asia Minor) deities: the goddess of grain and the god of fertility and vegetation, respectively. Dawn acquired this picture on August 20, 2015, from its high-altitude mapping orbit at about 915 miles (1,470 kilometers) above the surface. The center coordinates of this image are 26 degrees north latitude, 339 degrees east longitude. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21909

This image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft showing the northern part of Hanami Planum on Ceres honors the Japanese cherry blossom festival, or "Hanami," which is a long-standing Japanese tradition of welcoming spring. Hanami Planum is the third largest geological feature on Ceres, after Vendimia Planitia and the Samhain Catenae. It extends over 345 miles (555 kilometers). This image shows familiar features, such as Occator Crater, characterized both by bright material inside the crater and dark ejecta material outside. Several parallel linear features, called Junina Catenae, can be seen departing from Occator and extending toward the top of the image. These catenae are chains of small craters formed by the impact and scouring of material ejected when large craters are formed. Scientists were able to relate these crater chains to Urvara and Yalode. Even though these are located in the southern hemisphere, some of their ejecta could reach the northern hemisphere, thanks to Ceres' fast rotation and small size. This image was obtained by Dawn on June 15, 2015. The spacecraft was then in its survey orbit (2,700 miles, or 4,400 kilometers high), when the footprint of Dawns framing camera on Ceres surface was about 260 miles (420 kilometers). The resolution is 1,400 feet (410 meters) per pixel. The central coordinates of the picture are 14 degrees north latitude, 213 degrees east in longitude. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21921

This image, obtained by NASA's Dawn spacecraft on June 9, 2018, shows subtle features on Ceres from an altitude of about 33 miles (53 kilometers). https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22523

This image of Arruntia AV-L-03, from the atlas of the giant asteroid Vesta, was created from images taken as NASA Dawn mission flew around the object, also known as a protoplanet. The set of maps was created from mosaics of10,000 images from Dawn's framing camera instrument, taken at a low altitude of about 130 miles (210 kilometers). This map is mostly at a scale about that of regional road touring maps, where every inch of map is equivalent to a little more than 3 miles of asteroid (one centimeter equals 2 kilometers). http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19507

NASA Dawn spacecraft obtained this image of the surface of asteroid Vesta with its framing camera on August 11, 2011. It was taken through the camera clear filter. The image has a resolution of about 260 meters per pixel.

This image of Ceres is part of a sequence taken by NASA Dawn spacecraft on May 7, 2015, from a distance of 8,400 miles 13,600 kilometers. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19554

This image of Ceres is part of a sequence taken by NASA Dawn spacecraft on May 7, 2015, from a distance of 8,400 miles 13,600 kilometers. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19558

This image from NASA Dawn spacecraft is dominated by Caparronia impact crater, approximately 55 km in diameter with a mostly fresh, irregularly shaped rim. It also has a curved, linear mound running across most of its base.

This image, taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows the surface of dwarf planet Ceres from an altitude of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers). The image, with a resolution of 450 feet (140 meters) per pixel, was taken on August 26, 2015. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19896

This view from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows cratered terrain at 59 degrees north latitude, 89 degrees east longitude on Ceres, just east of the large crater named Omonga. Dawn took this image on June 1, 2016, from its low-altitude mapping orbit, at a distance of about 240 miles (385 kilometers) above the surface. The image resolution is 120 feet (35 meters) per pixel. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20929

Some might see a pancake, and others a sand dollar, in this new image from NASA Dawn mission. Astronomers are puzzling over a mysterious large circular feature located south of the equator and slightly to the right of center in this view.

This image combines two separate views of the giant asteroid Vesta obtained by NASA Dawn spacecraft. The fresh impact craters in this view are located in the south polar region, which has been partly covered by landslides from the adjacent crater.

This image highlights the complex set of fractures near the center of the large (72 miles, 116 kilometers) Ezinu Crater. It was obtained by NASA's Dawn spacecraft on September 2, 2018 from an altitude of about 2095 miles (3070 kilometers). NASA announced the conclusion of Dawn's mission operations was Oct. 31, 2018, when the spacecraft depleted its hydrazine. The center of Ezinu Crater is located at about 43.2 degrees north latitude and 195.7 degrees east longitude. Ezinu Crater is named after the Sumerian goddess of the grain. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22983

This image using color data obtained by the framing camera aboard NASA Dawn spacecraft shows asteroid Vesta southern hemisphere in color, centered on the Rheasilvia formation.

This image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows Kondos Crater on Ceres. The image is centered at 19 degrees south latitude, 18 degrees east longitude. Dawn took this image on June 10, 2016, from its low-altitude mapping orbit, at a distance of about 240 miles (385 kilometers) above the surface. The image resolution is 120 feet (35 meters) per pixel. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20961

Often, the names of features on planetary bodies are connected through a specific theme -- for example, many features on the Moon have been named after famous scientists. NASA's Dawn mission, together with the International Astronomical Union, established that craters on Ceres would be named for agricultural deities from all over the world, and other features would be named for agricultural festivals. Ceres itself was named after the Roman goddess of corn and harvests by its discoverer, Giuseppe Piazzi, who spotted it with his telescope in 1801. Since March 2015, Dawn has been orbiting Ceres and sending back many intriguing images and other data about its features. Using suggestions from the Dawn team, the IAU recently approved 25 new Ceres feature names tied to theme of agricultural deities, marked in yellow on the map. Emesh Crater, for example, is named for the Sumerian god of vegetation and agriculture. Jumi is the Latvian god of fertility of the field. The newly named surface features vary in size. Thrud, for example, is a crater with a diameter of 4.8 miles (7.8 kilometers) within the larger crater Zadeni, while Mlezi has a diameter of 28 miles (42 kilometers). For more information, the characteristics of these and other features on Ceres can be found in the IAU's Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21755

This image of Ceres is part of a sequence taken by NASA Dawn spacecraft on May 16, 2015, from a distance of 4,500 miles 7,200 kilometers. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19559

This image was obtained by NASA's Dawn spacecraft on July 31, 2018 from an altitude of about 31 miles (50 kilometers). The center of this picture is located at about 45.4 degrees south latitude and 252.8 degrees east longitude. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22762

This image from NASA Dawn spacecraft of asteroid Vesta shows Aquilia crater located in Pinaria quadrangle, in Vesta southern hemisphere. The especially degraded bottom rim was probably formed by debris slumping into the crater.

This image from NASA Dawn spacecraft shows linear grooves and ridges in Vesta regolith, located in Vesta Tuccia quadrangle, in asteroid Vesta southern hemisphere.

These images from NASA Dawn spacecraft, located in asteroid Vesta Marcia quadrangle, in Vesta northern hemisphere, demonstrate a special analytical technique, which results in shadowed areas of Vesta surface becoming illuminated.

A cluster of bright areas in Ceres Occator Crater are seen in this image from NASA Dawn spacecraft. These areas are not as bright as the material at the center of the crater. Dawn took this image on June 16, 2016, from its low-altitude mapping orbit, at a distance of about 240 miles (385 kilometers) above the surface. The image resolution is 120 feet (35 meters) per pixel. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20831

This view from NASA Dawn spacecraft shows a scene from the northern hemisphere of Ceres, north of Occator Crater, which is home of the brightest area on the dwarf planet.

This image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows a portion of Ikapati Crater on Ceres. The image is centered at 34 degrees north latitude, 49 degrees east longitude. A more complete view of the crater can be found at PIA20393. Dawn took this image on June 10, 2016, from its low-altitude mapping orbit, at a distance of about 240 miles (385 kilometers) above the surface. The image resolution is 120 feet (35 meters) per pixel. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20960

These images from NASA Dawn spacecraft are located in asteroid Vesta Gegania quadrangle, just south of Vesta equator. Rubria, with dark and bright material is above Divalia Fossa, and Occia, with bright and dark material is below.

This image, taken by NASA Dawn spacecraft on June 24, 2015, shows dwarf planet Ceres from an altitude of 2,700 miles 4,400 kilometers with a resolution of 1,400 feet 410 meters per pixel. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19613

This view from NASA Dawn spacecraft, taken on Oct. 17, 2015, from an altitude of 915 miles 1,470 kilometers, shows southern mid-latitudes on Ceres, including a relatively fresh crater near upper left. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20137

The inset perspective view from NASA Dawn space of Ceres bright spot Occator Crator is overlaid with data concerning the composition. Red signifies a high abundance of carbonates, while gray indicates a low carbonate abundance. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20694

This anaglyph from NASA Dawn spacecraft shows degraded craters in asteroid Vesta northern hemisphere. You need 3D glasses to view this image.

This enhanced color composite image, made with data from the framing camera aboard NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows the area around Ernutet crater. The bright red portions appear redder with respect to the rest of Ceres. In a 2017 study in the journal Science, researchers from the Dawn science team found that these red areas around Ernutet are associated with evidence of organic material. Images taken using blue (440 nanometers), green (750 nanometers) and infrared (960 nanometers) spectral filters were combined to create the view. Ernutet Crater measures about 32 miles (52 kilometers) in diameter and is located in the northern hemisphere. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21419

This pair of craters is located in the northern hemisphere of Ceres as seen by NASA Dawn spacecraft. The wall of the older crater lower of the two has partially collapsed where it adjoins the rim of its younger neighbor.

This image taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows Emesh, a crater on Ceres. Emesh, named after the Sumerian god of vegetation and agriculture, is 12 miles (20 kilometers) wide. Located at the edge of the Vendimia Planitia, the floor of this crater is asymmetrical with terraces distributed along the eastern rim. Additionally, this image shows many subtle linear features that are likely the surface expressions of faults. These faults play a big role in shaping Ceres' craters, leading to non-circular craters such as Emesh. To the left of Emesh in this view, a much older crater of similar size has mostly been erased by impacts and their ejecta. Dawn took this image on May 11, 2016, from its low-altitude mapping orbit, at a distance of about 240 miles (385 kilometers) above the surface. The center coordinates of this image are 11 degrees north latitude, 158 degrees east longitude. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21911

This image of the limb of dwarf planet Ceres shows a section of the northern hemisphere. A shadowy portion of Occator Crater can be seen at the lower right -- its bright "spot" areas are outside of the frame of view. Part of Kaikara Crater (45 miles, 72 kilometers in diameter) is visible at top left. Dawn took this image on Oct. 17 from its second extended-mission science orbit (XMO2), at a distance of about 920 miles (1,480 kilometers) above the surface. The image resolution is about 460 feet (140 meters) per pixel. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21230

This image of a boulder field near Ceres' Occator Crater's eastern rim was obtained by NASA's Dawn spacecraft on June 9, 2018 from an altitude of about 30 miles (48 kilometers). https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22525

This image from NASA Dawn spacecraft of asteroid Vesta shows a part of the surface in Vesta northern hemisphere, which is scoured by many grooves with different orientations.

Ceres' Ezinu Crater is seen at top right in this image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft. The crater features a network of canyon-like features. Ezinu measures about 72 miles (116 kilometers) in diameter and was named for the Sumerian goddess of grain. Dawn took this image on Oct. 21, 2016, from its second extended-mission science orbit (XMO2), at a distance of about 920 miles (1,480 kilometers) above the surface. The image resolution is about 460 feet (140 meters) per pixel. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21240

This image from the framing camera aboard NASA Dawn spacecraft shows surface details beginning to resolve as the spacecraft closes in on the giant asteroid Vesta on June 1, 2011, from a distance of about 300,000 miles 483,000 kilometers.

This image of Ceres is part of a sequence taken by NASA Dawn spacecraft on May 4, 2015, from a distance of 8,400 miles 13,600 kilometers. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19543

These images from NASA Dawn spacecraft are located in asteroid Vesta Sextilia quadrangle, in Vesta southern hemisphere.

This image of Urvara Crater was obtained by NASA's Dawn spacecraft on May 20, 2018 from an altitude of about 920 miles (1480 kilometers). The center of Urvara Crater is located at about 46 degrees south in latitude and 249 degrees east in longitude. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22472

The small, bright crater Oxo on Ceres is featured in this image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft. Oxo (6 miles, 10 kilometers in diameter) is located at mid-latitudes on Ceres and likely has water ice. Dawn took this image on Oct. 17, 2016, from its second extended-mission science orbit, at a distance of about 920 miles (1,480 kilometers) above the surface. The image resolution is about 460 feet (140 meters) per pixel. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21221

A group of scientists from NASA's Dawn mission suggests that when sunlight reaches Ceres' Occator Crater, a kind of thin haze of dust and evaporating water forms there. This haze only becomes dense enough to be seen by looking at it laterally, as in this image, the scientists wrote in the journal Nature in December 2015. Occator measures about 60 miles (90 kilometers) wide, and contains the brightest material seen on Ceres. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20181

This image from NASA Dawn spacecraft shows impact ejecta deposits dominating asteroid Vesta landscape. This impact ejecta material was ejected from an impact crater located outside the imaged area.

This image from NASA Dawn spacecraft is centered on a small, young, fresh crater with bright and dark ejecta rays extending from it. The crater is located in Vesta Tuccia quadrangle on asteroid Vesta.

This image of Ceres, taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows Sintana Crater (36 miles, 58 kilometers wide) at top, just right of center. The rim of a large crater called Zadeni (80 miles, 128 kilometers wide), is seen at the bottom of the image. Dawn took this image from an altitude of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers) during its High Altitude Mapping Orbit (HAMO) phase on Oct. 20, 2015. Image resolution is 450 feet (140 meters) per pixel. The scene is located in the southern hemisphere of Ceres at approximately 55 degrees south latitude, 40 degrees east longitude. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20149

This image, taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows a portion of the southern hemisphere of dwarf planet Ceres from an altitude of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers). The image was taken on Sept. 22, 2015, and has a resolution of 450 feet (140 meters) per pixel. Zadeni crater, named for the ancient Georgian god of bountiful harvest, is featured in this image. Its diameter is about 80 miles (129 kilometers). http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19988

This image of a bright-rayed crater on giant asteroid Vesta was taken by the framing camera aboard NASA Dawn spacecraft. The crater is about 2 miles 3.5 kilometers in diameter and impacted on the rim of an older crater, named Tuccia.

This anaglyph image from NASA Dawn spacecraft shows the topography of asteroid Vesta south polar region. The material at the base of the scarp right side is probably due to landsliding.