Celestial bodies for January, Part 1: Ceres

Since we've been treated to very high resolution pictures from Rosetta of Comet 67P-Churyumov-Gerasimenko, it's time for the next Solar System object that we've never seen close up before to come into view.  JPL released images from the remarkable Dawn satellite as it approaches Ceres, and this is stated to be 30% better than could be achieved by Hubble.  So now we at least know that even if Ceres doesn't have a Great Red Spot like Jupiter, it does appear to have a Bright White Spot.


NASA's Dawn Spacecraft Captures Best-Ever View of Dwarf Planet

The real close-ups happen in early March.