The long, puzzling dwarf planet Ceres, in reality the first named asteroid, has surface features that are much more complex than previously thought. Or at least that’s the conclusion of a recent paper given at the recent European Geosciences Union 2026 General Assembly in Vienna.

New data analysis from NASA’s Dawn mission points to a surface with steep slopes, fractures, and albedo variations complicating crater identification.

In fact, Ceres has perplexed astronomers since its discovery in 1801 by Italian astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi. Yet in 2006, it was controversially reclassified as a dwarf planet, primarily due to its large size and differentiated interior. That is, unlike most asteroids, Ceres has a core, a mantle, and a crust. Some astrobiologists posit that the dwarf planet may have even once developed primitive microorganisms.