Dawn spacecraft maps water beneath the surface of Ceres

Evidence builds for abundant water ice on the dwarf planet

hydrogen on ceres

ICY REALMS  Dwarf planet Ceres has more hydrogen beneath its surface near the poles, indicating a subsurface layer of ice mixed in with the rock. Blue shows where the hydrogen abundance is highest.

T.H. Prettyman and N. Yamashita/Planetary Science Institute

Water ice lies just beneath the cratered surface of dwarf planet Ceres and in shadowy pockets within those craters, new studies report.