Ceres is a unique object in our solar system. It is a dwarf planet that is circulated within the asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter and is the largest of the bodies circulating inside the belt. Ceres has a diameter of approx. 950 km (the diameter of our Moon is a three and a half times larger). Ceres interior consists of a sizable rock core and extends over the water ice layer and a thin outer shell made of light materials. Observations indicate that Ceres contains large amount of ice water, the amount may be 1/10 of the total amount of water on the Earth – which is more than the earth’s fresh water. Researchers interested in Ceres, because they think that this proto-planet, ie a planet, which stopped at a certain stage of development under the influence of gravity of Jupiter. Thanks Ceres could be a time capsule and help us examine how the planets formed.
Ceres has been proposed as one of the possible targets of human colonization in the inner solar system. Establishment of a permanent colony on Ceres will probably be preceded by colonization of the Moon and Mars. The ship sent from the Moon or Mars Ceres requires less energy than starting from Earth, due to the much weaker attraction of two bodies. Travel from Mars or the moon on Ceres requires even less energy than a flight from Earth to the Moon. Being the largest body in the asteroid belt, Ceres could become a major human base within it. Due to the low speed flight and high content of water ice, it is also a natural starting point for future research and exploitation of asteroids, facilitating transport of raw materials to Mars, the Moon and the Earth. Its colonization may also be a step in the colonization of the objects in the outer solar system, such as the Galilean moons of Jupiter. 
Ceres further in the future may serve as a source of water, fuel and oxygen for ships manned flying in the direction of the outer planets.
First saw it from the ground January 1, 1801 Sicilian astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi. He was convinced that discovers a new planet, according to tradition, mythology and reached into a celestial body named the new name of the Roman goddess, nannies Sicily. But in subsequent years at a similar distance from the Sun – more than circling Mars rock, but closer than Jupiter gas – discovered, however, more of these very large globes, as well as hundreds of thousands of smaller and larger rock debris. They are assigned to a new class so small bodies of the solar system and henceforth called asteroids, asteroids, and sometimes planetkami or small planets. Ceres was by far the largest of them, but still lost the title of a full-fledged planet.
Only recently increased its cosmic status, because in 2006 it included dwarf planets. This new group of bodies of the solar system was created especially for Pluto, which also expelled from the list of planets, but to reassure the American astronomers (Pluto – the only planet discovered by an American – is a very cherished by them), he was given the title of the dwarf planet.
For a long time the asteroid belt was not the aim of any space mission. This planet remained the focus of the space agency, and the probe asteroids dealt only in passing, passing them through to the outer planets of the solar system. In 2007, it changed – NASA’s Dawn spacecraft sent on a mission to explore two prominent members of the asteroid belt. Three years ago, the probe reached the asteroid Vesta (530 km diameter) and spent a year on its orbit, and now coming to Ceres and March 2015 years is expected to enter into orbit around it.
The most interesting question that spends sleep from the eyes researchers, refers to water. It has long been known that the average density of Ceres is relatively small – approx. 2 grams per cubic centimeter (i.e., more than 2.5 times less than the density of the Earth). This is because – as suspected – as much as 40 percent of the volume of the globe is water in the form of ice or hydrated minerals. This is probably the biggest – beyond Earth – a reservoir of water in the inner region of the Solar System. Moreover, it is possible that some of this water is in a liquid state in the form of underground or ocean water pockets isolated. This hypothesis is strengthened by the discovery last year of clouds of water vapor above the surface of asteroids by seeing the Herschel infrared space telescope. Where did the pair escape, you do not know, but maybe Dawn notice any cracks or active geysers on the surface
Astrobiologists believe today that Ceres is also an interesting place to look for an environment conducive to life as the icy moons of Jupiter – Ganymede and Europa. A has the advantage over them, that is much closer to the Earth. So, if you manage to Dawn input operation on its orbit, it is in a few months we can expect many surprises.
Ceres is the only dwarf planet of the Solar System lies in the asteroid belt. The rest of this type, for example. Pluto, circulates much further – in the Kuiper Belt, stretching beyond the orbit of Neptune.
Not so long ago it was considered that a dead and uninteresting world. But the images that a few days ago sent a probe Dawn, that could be very wrong.
Spacecraft Dawn is to help us better understand Ceres, but it is unusual. Dawn probe mission began in 2007. Exactly at 27 September. 11.34 UT probe was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Two years later, the ship flew by Mars, and in 2011 reached the first Dawn of the planned orbit – an orbit of Vesta (second after Ceres, in terms of weight, a celestial body orbiting in the asteroid belt). Vesta study lasted until September 2012. September Fifth Dawn had left its orbit and began to fly toward Ceres. If all goes according to plan, the satellite reaches the planet in March 2015 and will then begin to „closer to her look”. First of December NASA’s Dawn spacecraft has done a remarkable picture dwarf planet Ceres. The image quality may not impress – it is Ceres wide for just nine pixels – but it is worth it to appreciate, because it was made from a distance of approximately 1.2 million kilometers (exceeding three times the distance of the gap which divides the Earth and the Moon). – Finally, we have a spaceship, which stands at the threshold of knowledge of this mysterious, alien world – said in a statement Marc Rayman, who is engaged in the mission of the Dawn. – Soon solve countless secrets that Ceres is hidden from the beginning of the solar system – Rayman said. The Spacecrafte Dawn sent the latest photos dwarf planet Ceres. You can see them gleaming white spot. – What this stain is still a mystery. the intriguing – the researchers say. Photography, published by NASA in early December, it is the first photo of Ceres, which managed to get scientists. Ten years ago, to the headquarters of NASA Ceres reached the first photo taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. Latest photos Ceres probe made on 13 January. Five days later, they reached Earth, scientists now reveal what appears on them. Or rather try to tell, because we do not know what it could be. – We can only say that there is something to Ceres, which reflects sunlight, but what it is, still remains a mystery. Intriguing – said Marc Rayman, Dawn’s chief engineer missions. The photos show areas of light and dark in the face of Ceres, which would indicate that its surface is covered with craters. Unfortunately, scientists can not confirm this until Dawn is not closer to Ceres.
Source Internet : losyziemi.pl , tvnmeteo.tvn24.pl , wiadomości24.pl , pl.wikipedia.org , photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov , space-facts.com/ceres/, astrosociety.org