It's been a while since I've mentioned Pluto. New Horizons has been slowly but surely sending back data and some absolutely spectacular images, revealing a world way more complicated than anyone could have predicted.
First off, there's the pictures. The
most recent ones show a 50 mile wide strip of Pluto's surface extending on for hundreds of miles. The resolution is about 300 feet. Somehow, geology has crafted great mountains of ice thousands of feet high, as well as rugged
badlands extending for miles.
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| Credit: NASA/JHUA/SwRI |
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| Credit: NASA/JHUA/SwRI |
This image is a particular favorite of mine. It's a picture from the other side of Pluto, and I don't know. There's just something about it that appeals to me. The way the haze fades away, the contrast between the mountains and the plain, it's a great image. I have it as my wallpaper on my work computer.
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| Credit: NASA/JHUA/SwRI |
Oh, in case you were curious, if you were standing on the surface of Pluto and
looked up, you'd see a blue sky, courtesy of reactions between methane, nitrogen, and sunlight.
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| Credit: NASA/JHUA/SwRI |
In the picture below, the mountains imaged have a very odd texture, almost like
tree bark. There was a guess hazarded as to their origin, but basically, we have no idea how they formed. Looks cool, though.
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| Credit: NASA/JHUA/SwRI |
Oh, here's some actual science now. Scientists believe that based on the lack of cratering and the
replenishing of nitrogen in the atmosphere, Pluto was almost certainly recently geologically active. It may even still be active today, courtesy of
liquid water laced with ammonia. New Horizons even has images of potential
cryovolcanoes.
I think that's all for now. Hopefully my next Pluto update won't take so long.
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