Ceres

Dwarf planet and largest known asteroid, 940 km/584 mi in diameter; the first asteroid to be discovered (by Italian astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi in 1801). Ceres orbits the Sun every 4.6 years at an average distance of 414 million km/257 million mi. Its mass is about 0.014 of that of the Earth's Moon.

Ceres

In Roman mythology, the goddess of corn, representing the fertility of the earth as its producer; patron of the corn trade. Her cult was established in Rome by 496 BC, and showed early identification with the Greek Demeter.

Her temple was erected on the Aventine in 493 BC. It later became a plebeian centre, as the corn trade was largely in the hands of this formerly unprivileged class of Rome. Her chief festival was the Cerealia or Ludi Ceriales, instituted before 202 BC, and celebrated annually, 12–19 Apr.

Ceres

Town in Western Cape province, South Africa, near the Hex River valley and 113 km/70 mi northeast of Cape Town by road; population (district, 1991) 47,100. The area around Ceres is important for fruit-growing, particularly citrus fruits. Industries include fruit-packing and fruit juice extraction.

Ceres

City in Stanislaus County, central California, USA, in the San Joaquin Valley, immediately southeast of Modesto; population (1990) 26,300. The city is primarily an agricultural centre, with poultry farms, vineyards, and date, fig, and peach orchards all being important.