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Space & Astronomy

New mountain range revealed on Pluto

By T.K. Randall
July 22, 2015 · Comment icon 96 comments

The mountains lie in an area between two vastly different regions. Image Credit: NASA
New images from the New Horizons probe have revealed another vast region of mountains on Pluto's surface.
It has only been a few days since the first high resolution photographs of Pluto were returned by the spacecraft and already much has been revealed about what lies on this distant, icy world.

Earlier images of mountains comparable in height to the Rockies here on Earth have been joined by further pictures showing a separate chain of peaks similar in size to the Appalachian Mountains.

These remarkable geological features span the edge of Pluto's distinctive 'heart' which has since turned out to be broken up in to several different regions with varying textures and reflectivity.

Scientists are still working to determine the processes responsible for the stark transition between the dark crater-marked region on one side and the smooth frozen plains on the other.

"There is a pronounced difference in texture between the younger, frozen plains to the east and the dark, heavily-cratered terrain to the west," said New Horizons geophysicist Jeff Moore.

"There's a complex interaction going on between the bright and the dark materials that we're still trying to understand."

Source: Washington Post | Comments (96)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #87 Posted by Waspie_Dwarf 9 years ago
It will take more than a year just to download all the images and data from New Horizons, so it is unrealistic to expect answers in days.
Comment icon #88 Posted by Astra- 9 years ago
Oh - ok - thanks. Patience is a virtue I suppose.
Comment icon #89 Posted by Merc14 9 years ago
I have been wondering if scientists have figured out yet - what those dark patches/spots were along Pluto's equator ? New Horizons closest flyby was back on 14th July - I have tried to find some info - but my PC is very slow atm - it's like pulling teeth. Does anybody know anything ? Cheers.. Run Malwarebytes free version and get rid of some of the likely malware https://www.malwarebytes.org/mwb-download/
Comment icon #90 Posted by Astra- 9 years ago
Thanks heaps Merc. I ran the malware - but no nasties were detected. Seems the signal on the Wi-Fi connection was weak which were slowing things down. So I rebooted the router - and the PC - and I have a stronger signal now
Comment icon #91 Posted by Merc14 9 years ago
Thanks heaps Merc. I ran the malware - but no nasties were detected. Seems the signal on the Wi-Fi connection was weak which were slowing things down. So I rebooted the router - and the PC - and I have a stronger signal now You did exactly what I would've suggested except for one thing, pull the power plugs on both the router and the modem and turn off the computer. Then return power to the modem, let it settle in, then power up the router, let it settle in and then turn the computer back on. PM me if you that doesn't help
Comment icon #92 Posted by Waspie_Dwarf 9 years ago
Can we please get back on topic.This really is not the place to be discussing computer problems (unless the computer happens to be on a space craft ). Thank you.
Comment icon #93 Posted by Merc14 9 years ago
Can we please get back on topic.This really is not the place to be discussing computer problems (unless the computer happens to be on a space craft ). Thank you. My fault.
Comment icon #94 Posted by FTWind 9 years ago
Waspie what would u say on the chances of multi celled organisms livng in these theorized subsurface oceans on these outer objects
Comment icon #95 Posted by Waspie_Dwarf 9 years ago
Waspie what would u say on the chances of multi celled organisms livng in these theorized subsurface oceans on these outer objects If the greatest biologists and planetary scientists on Earth don't have the vaguest idea what the answer to that is (and they really don't) then why should an ex-chemist like myself? Anyone that gives you an answer to this is taking a wild guess. Science doesn't deal in wild guesses.
Comment icon #96 Posted by FTWind 9 years ago
In all fai rness Waspie I've been readin everyone's comments on every topic for years in this website and of all I repect yours the most


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