Haze And Flowing Ice On Pluto Show A World Of Wonders: NASA
Pluto continues to amaze even as New Horizons unravels more of the dwarf planet. NASA recently reported spotting haze and flowing ice.
In a press release, NASA theorized that haze observed by Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) was a result of methane breakdown by ultraviolet light and subsequent formation of complex hydrocarbons that descend to areas closer to the colder surface and condense into ice particles.
"My jaw was on the ground when I saw this first image of an alien atmosphere in the Kuiper Belt. It reminds us that exploration brings us more than just incredible discoveries -- it brings incredible beauty," said Alan Stern, principal investigator for New Horizons.
Two hazes were discovered at altitudes of 30 miles and 50 miles, giving Pluto's surface a reddish hue.
Images captured by New Horizons also showed ices flowing across the surface, indicating recent geologic activity.
"At Pluto's temperatures of minus-390 degrees Fahrenheit, these ices can flow like a glacier. In the southernmost region of the heart, adjacent to the dark equatorial region, it appears that ancient, heavily-cratered terrain has been invaded by much newer icy deposits," said Bill McKinnon, deputy leader of the New Horizons Geology, Geophysics and Imaging team at Washington University in St. Louis.
