Ceres

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/ceres

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Who discovered Ceres?January 1, 1801
2. What is the classification?Dwarf planet
3. What is the location?Asteroid belt, between Mars and Jupiter
4. What is Ceres and why is it special?Ceres is the biggest rock in the asteroid belt and is a dwarf planet. It is round because it is heavy enough to pull itself into a sphere.
5. When was Ceres discovered and how was it classified?It was found on January 1, 1801 by Giuseppe Piazzi. It was first called the ninth planet, then an asteroid, and now a dwarf planet.

Protoplanet: A celestial body that is in the process of forming into a planet through accretion of dust and gas.
Astrobiology: The scientific study of the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe.
Accretion: The process by which dust and gas particles in space clump together to form larger bodies.
Differentiated Interior: A celestial body whose internal structure is layered, with denser materials at the core and lighter materials towards the surface.