During the whole 2015 space probe New Horizons (New Horizons) pleased us pictures of Pluto. Now experts of the American space agency NASA published the first scientific data obtained during the flyby past the most unexplored planet of the solar system.
“The mission of New Horizons completes our initial exploration of the solar system, giving humanity a first look at this fascinating world and its system of moons – the director of the planetary science NASA Jim Green in a press release from the agency. – Our station not only wrote a textbook on the system of Pluto, but also inspire present and future generations to continue to look for something new “.
Spacecraft most friends with Pluto, going to 12.5 thousand kilometers from its surface on 14 July. It was gathered so much information that it transfer to the Earth takes another four years. But it is now clear that the world is not unlike any other. Its varied terrain and the nature of the soil like a quilt copy geological models of various planets and their satellites.
As with Mars, Pluto contains volatile compounds that freeze on the surface, and then sublimate and rise into the atmosphere in the form gas. On its surface, as well as on Saturn – Iapetus, bright areas are combined with the dark. And to make wind band on the ice fields “mother” of the planet with a satellite of Neptune – Triton.
The geological activity of Pluto is caused by residues of radioactive elements preserved from the formation of dwarf planet, and all the same volatile compounds, circulating between the surface and the atmosphere . Pluto orbits the sun in an elliptical orbit of 248 Earth years, and these substances are then falls in the form of frost and remain frozen for decades, then heated and emit methane, nitrogen and carbon monoxide.
Pictures taken station show the effects of this seasonal process: a vast flat area known as Plateau Satellite seem covered with soft nitrogen ice that hides the asteroid craters.
“It’s like tightening holes in jelly, – said a member of the New Horizons Houlet Carly (Carly Howett). – All indications are that it is extremely elastic ice unique in the solar system “.
The satellite plateau bordered by dark, cratered region of Cthulhu. It bears the traces of the massive asteroid bombardment that four billion years ago exposed all the young planet. According to scientists, the dark color of the surface provides a chemically treated in an atmosphere of methane. He settles at the poles, where it winds bring.
Despite the fact that NASA has represented many discoveries during the briefings, the publication of the article in Science, is the first official publication of the results of the mission. Among other things it contains and common parts, for example, specifies the diameter of Pluto – 2374 kilometers. Interestingly, the shape of the planet is very close to spherical. This means that during the formation, it was warm and soft, thus avoiding deformations.
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