 Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt . It is sometimes assumed that Ceres has been reclassified as a dwarf planet , and that it is therefore no longer considered an asteroid . For example , a news update at Space.com spoke of " Pallas , the largest asteroid , and Ceres , the dwarf planet formerly classified as an asteroid " , whereas an IAU question @-@ and @-@ answer posting states , " Ceres is ( or now we can say it was ) the largest asteroid " , though it then speaks of " other asteroids " crossing Ceres ' path and otherwise implies that Ceres is still considered an asteroid . The Minor Planet Center notes that such bodies may have dual designations . The 2006 IAU decision that classified Ceres as a dwarf planet never addressed whether it is or is not an asteroid . Indeed , the IAU has never defined the word ' asteroid ' at all , having preferred the term ' minor planet ' until 2006 , and preferring the terms ' small Solar System body ' and ' dwarf planet ' after 2006 . Lang ( 2011 ) comments " the [ IAU has ] added a new designation to Ceres , classifying it as a dwarf planet . ... By [ its ] definition , Eris , Haumea , Makemake and Pluto , as well as the largest asteroid , 1 Ceres , are all dwarf planets " , and describes it elsewhere as " the dwarf planet – asteroid 1 Ceres " . NASA continues to refer to Ceres as an asteroid , as do various academic textbooks . 
 Ceres <a href='drop_aux' title='1'><mark>is</mark></a>the largest object in the asteroid belt . It is sometimes assumed that Ceres <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>has</mark></a> been reclassified as a dwarf planet , and that it <a href='drop_aux' title='3'><mark>is</mark></a>therefore no longer considered an asteroid . For example , a news update at Space.com spoke of " Pallas , the largest asteroid , and Ceres , the dwarf planet formerly classified as an asteroid " , whereas an IAU question @-@ and @-@ answer posting states , " Ceres is ( or now we can say it was ) the largest asteroid " , though it then <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>speaks</mark></a> of " other asteroids " crossing Ceres <a href='null_genetive' title='5'><mark>'</mark></a>path and otherwise <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>implies</mark></a> that Ceres is still considered an asteroid . The Minor Planet Center <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>notes</mark></a> that such bodies may have dual designations . The 2006 IAU decision <a href='null_relcl' title='8'><mark>that</mark></a>classified Ceres as a dwarf planet never addressed whether it is or <a href='negative_concord' title='9'><mark>is</mark></a> <a href='negative_concord' title='10'><mark>not</mark></a><a href='None' title='11'><mark>an</mark></a><a href='negative_concord' title='12'><mark>asteroid</mark></a> . Indeed , the IAU <a href='been_done' title='13'><mark>has</mark></a> never defined the word ' asteroid ' at all , <a href='been_done' title='14'><mark>having</mark></a> preferred the term ' minor planet ' until 2006 , and preferring the terms <a href='null_genetive' title='15'><mark>'</mark></a>small Solar System body ' and ' dwarf planet ' after 2006 . Lang ( 2011 ) comments " the [ IAU <a href='been_done' title='16'><mark>has</mark></a> ] added a new designation to Ceres , classifying it as a dwarf planet . ... By [ its ] definition , Eris , Haumea , Makemake and Pluto , as well as the largest asteroid , 1 Ceres , <a href='drop_aux' title='17'><mark>are</mark></a>all dwarf planets " , and <a href='uninflect' title='18'><mark>describes</mark></a> it elsewhere as " the dwarf planet – asteroid 1 Ceres " . NASA <a href='uninflect' title='19'><mark>continues</mark></a> to refer to Ceres as an asteroid , as do various academic textbooks . 
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