NASA's Dawn spacecraft will be the first mission to successfully visit a dwarf planet if it enters orbit as planned around dwarf planet Ceres. The spacecraft captured images which was sent back to Earth on its approach to Ceres, scheduled to reach on March 6.

The photos show several craters and unusual bright spots that scientists believe tell the story of how Ceres was formed and is changing._­­_­

Researchers will look for signs that these features on Ceres are changing, which would suggest current geological activity, according to NASA. Data collected by the spacecraft could contribute to scientific understanding of how the solar system was formed.

Dawn started its final approach toward Ceres in December 2014, and has been delivering images since Jan. 25. The spacecraft has observed Ceres through its full nine-hour rotation, and has taken high-resolution images.

Dawn explored the giant asteroid Vesta for 14 months in 2011 and 2012, capturing detailed images and data about the asteroid.