Ceres Revealed as Former Ocean World with Ice-Rich Crust

New research suggests Ceres, the largest object in the asteroid belt, once hosted a muddy ocean that has since frozen into an icy crust.

Scientists at Purdue University and NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab used computer simulations to study the icy composition of Ceres.
The research indicates that Ceres' surface is about 90% ice, challenging previous beliefs that it was less than 30% ice.
Ceres' icy crust likely formed from a muddy ocean that froze over time, creating a crust with trapped rocky material.
Simulations showed that Ceres' ice, mixed with some solid rock, can remain strong and resist crater deformation over billions of years.
This discovery positions Ceres as a valuable comparison point for icy moons like Europa and Enceladus and a potential target for future spacecraft missions.