NASA has published the most detailed images of the planet Pluto in the history of astronomy, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.
Compared with pictures taken in 1995, the newer set of pictures shows that in the past decade, Pluto has undergone dramatic changes on its surface and in its atmosphere.
NASA investigators concluded that the planet’s northern hemisphere is increasing in brightness, while the southern hemisphere is slowly becoming darker. Furthermore, the planet is becoming redder; this shows that Pluto is not just merely a celestial body made of ice and rock, but it is actually a dynamic planet that can indeed experience atmospheric changes.
Through detailed analysis, a strange brilliant dot has also been discovered near Pluto’s equator. According to NASA, it is rich in carbon monoxide ice and has now become one of the priority targets of investigation.
Pluto is the hardest planet in the solar system to obtain a detailed portrait from, since it is a small planet located at the border of our solar system.
The images are part of the New Horizons mission, a planetary research mission that will have the New Horizons probe fly by Pluto in 2015. Hopefully these new discoveries will shed light on one of the most mysterious and interesting planet of our solar system.
Compared with pictures taken in 1995, the newer set of pictures shows that in the past decade, Pluto has undergone dramatic changes on its surface and in its atmosphere.
NASA investigators concluded that the planet’s northern hemisphere is increasing in brightness, while the southern hemisphere is slowly becoming darker. Furthermore, the planet is becoming redder; this shows that Pluto is not just merely a celestial body made of ice and rock, but it is actually a dynamic planet that can indeed experience atmospheric changes.
Through detailed analysis, a strange brilliant dot has also been discovered near Pluto’s equator. According to NASA, it is rich in carbon monoxide ice and has now become one of the priority targets of investigation.
Pluto is the hardest planet in the solar system to obtain a detailed portrait from, since it is a small planet located at the border of our solar system.
The images are part of the New Horizons mission, a planetary research mission that will have the New Horizons probe fly by Pluto in 2015. Hopefully these new discoveries will shed light on one of the most mysterious and interesting planet of our solar system.
