Uncovering the Origins of Ceres' Young Cold Traps
Scientists have discovered extremely young ice deposits in permanently shadowed craters near the poles of the asteroid Ceres, shedding light on its history. Research suggests that these ice deposits formed within the last 6,000 years, making them remarkably young compared to Ceres's age of over 4 billion years. The study also explores the possibility of other types of ices being trapped in these craters and reveals that Ceres's polar craters are cold enough to retain water ice but too warm to retain other common types of ice.