New Horizons transmitted to Earth the first color photo “Mordor” on Charon – RIA Novosti

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© Photo: NASA / JHUAPL / SwRI

© Photo: NASA / JHUAPL / SwRI

© Photo: NASA / JHUAPL / SwRI

MOSCOW, October 2 – RIA Novosti. Automatic station New Horizons sent to Earth the first full-color and high quality photos of Charon, which you can see the complicated structure of the surface of Pluto, including mountains, canyons and mysterious “Mordor” – a dark region on the pole of the planet, the press service of NASA .

“We thought that the likelihood that we can see such interesting features on the surface of the satellite of the planet, located on the edge of the solar system, tends to zero. I do not think I would be delighted to something more than what we are now seeing on Charon, “- said Ross Beyer (Ross Beyer) from the Institute for Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence SETI in Mountain View (US).

The first color photographs of Charon that the probe was during the historic flyby of Pluto in mid-July, were transferred to the Earth only at the end of September. They were the first time scientists were able to see the giant canyon around the planet’s equator, whose depth is twice as high than the Grand Canyon on Earth. The existence of this canyon as the scientists explain, once again shows that in the bowels of Charon flow turbulent geological processes.

Additional evidence in favor of this are the so-called “Valley of the Volcanoes” – plain, located to the south of the canyon, and covered a variety of tracks relatively fresh geologic activity. Apart from them, the pictures you can see the mysterious “Mordor” – the dark north pole of Charon, painted in red color thanks to yet unexplored processes in Pluto’s atmosphere.

In January 2015, New Horizons began a rapprochement with Pluto. According to scientists, NASA, New Horizons, has gone down in history as the most speed from ever running earthlings spacecraft approached the dwarf planet at a distance of only 12.5 thousand kilometers at 14:49 MSK July 14.

During the rendezvous with Pluto observations led him seven scientific instruments that are equipped with the probe. It is expected that the unit produced about 150 measurements, including studied composition, geology of the planet, the temperature of its surface, relief and check whether there is “general” atmosphere of Pluto and its moon Charon.

During This rendezvous probe temporarily ceased communication with Earth, focusing all his “attention” to study the dwarf planet and its retinue.