thefinalfrontier Posted February 4, 2010 #1 Share Posted February 4, 2010 NASA today released the most detailed set of images ever taken of the distant dwarf planet Pluto. The images taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope show an icy and dark molasses-colored, mottled world that is undergoing seasonal changes in its surface color and brightness. Pluto has become significantly redder, while its illuminated northern hemisphere is getting brighter.These changes are most likely consequences of surface ices sublimating on the sunlit pole and then refreezing on the other pole as the dwarf planet heads into the next phase of its 248-year-long seasonal cycle.Read more... We are learing more and more about this dwarf planet and I cant wait until new horizons finally reaches Pluto, This is the most detailed view to date of the entire surface of the dwarf planet Pluto, as constructed from multiple NASA Hubble Space Telescope photographs taken from 2002 to 2003. The center disk (180 degrees) has a mysterious bright spot that is unusually rich in carbon monoxide frost. Pluto is so small and distant that the task of resolving the surface is as challenging as trying to see the markings on a soccer ball 40 miles away. Credit: NASA, ESA, and M. Buie (Southwest Research Institute). Photo No. STScI-PR10-06a The top picture was taken in 1994 by the European Space Agency's Faint Object Camera. The bottom image was taken in 2002-2003 by the Advanced Camera for Surveys. The dark band at the bottom of each map is the region that was hidden from view at the time the data were taken. Credit: NASA, ESA, and M. Buie (Southwest Research Institute) Photo No. STScI-PR10-06b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Silver Thong Posted February 4, 2010 #2 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Well thats pretty darn neat ! cool stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefinalfrontier Posted February 4, 2010 Author #3 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Well thats pretty darn neat ! cool stuff. It certianly is cool ST, When I was very young pluto was always my favorite planet to learn about and probly is still today, In 2015 the new horizons spacecraft will be there taking some awsome pics, That will be an exiting thing to see, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdillinjah Posted February 7, 2010 #4 Share Posted February 7, 2010 Very interesting story ..heres a link to a BBC report about it Dynamic Pluto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Hill Posted February 7, 2010 #5 Share Posted February 7, 2010 It's a bit blurry, I think they left the filter on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffey Posted February 7, 2010 #6 Share Posted February 7, 2010 Out of curiosity, have they taken any pictures of the other dwarf planets that are closer to Earth and bigger than Pluto? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brlesq1 Posted February 8, 2010 #7 Share Posted February 8, 2010 How utterly cool. I'm looking forward to 2015. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenfahr Posted February 8, 2010 #8 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Cool indeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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