Sunday, October 18, 2015

Nasa releases Pluto flyby results

In July, New Horizon reached its intended target Pluto after a nine year voyage. Now that its mission was complete, it was off towards the Kuiper Belt, but as it does that NASA is currently obtaining the information from New Horizon.

Data reveals that Pluto alongside its moon Charon reveals dynamic geology and diverse terrain. Data showed that Pluto has presence of  a water ice-rich crust, a geologically young surface, tectonic extension, possible wind streaks, and glacial flow. Pluto atmosphere reveals that it has a pressure of 10 microbar,  trace hydrocarbon, and is heavily extended. And the densities between Charon and Pluto are found to differ by less than 10%, which more or less implies that both bodies were undifferentiated when they collided in the Kuiper belt.

Furthur data proved that Pluto's other two moons, Nix and Hydra unlike most other moons, actually does not face Pluto when they are orbiting. Which is most likely caused due to the interaction of Pluto and Charon, where their orbits resembles more of a binary star (facing towards each other).

Source : https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/09/24/pluto-shows-off-snakeskin-textures-in-highest-resolution-pictures-yet/
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/350/6258/aad1815

https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=https://img.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2015/09/crop_p_color2_enhanced_release.jpg&w=480
Pluto's blue sky and Pluto most recent picture

1 comment:

  1. 3 points. What do you mean by "face each other"? Why might you expect for the moons to "face" the Pluto?

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