Ceres in false colours
Ceres in false colours
This map-projected view of Ceres was generated using images acquired by the German-developed Framing Camera on board NASA’s Dawn spacecraft during its High Altitude Mapping Orbit (HAMO) in August and September 2015.
Images acquired using infrared (920 nanometres), red (750 nanometres) and blue (440 nanometres) spectral filters were combined to create this false-colour view. Redder colours indicate places on Ceres’ surface that reflect light strongly in the infrared, while bluish colours indicate enhanced reflectivity at short (bluer) wavelengths; green indicates places where albedo, or overall brightness, is strongly enhanced.
Scientists use this technique to highlight subtle colour differences across Ceres, which would appear fairly uniform in natural colour. This can provide valuable insights into the mineral composition of the surface, as well as the relative ages of surface features.