In 1930, the American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovered and Venetia Burney, an English girl of 11, suggested his name. Pluto
On 14 July, for the first time a space mission -New Horizons of the NASA-close look at this dwarf planet in the far reaches of our solar system. Observations by telescopes both on the ground (Gemini North, VLT) and space (Hubble) have established that the composition of this celestial body is 30 percent ice of different composition and 70 percent silica.
main objectives of New Horizons will then map the surface and the temperature variation of Pluto and its moon, Charon; characterize their compositions; search for new moons or rings around the dwarf planet and look for evidence of possible oceans these two bodies.
One of the most important questions among scientists is whether Pluto and Charon are geologically active. We have seen, in images so far obtained by New Horizons, the presence of regions of high albedo and low albedo (solar light reflected by the surface).
Recent results obtained by this mission also show the presence of methane frozen on the surface of the dwarf planet, confirming the results obtained in 1976 by observations on the ground.
The question of what will find New Horizons at Pluto and Charon continues for now open and will be answered sooner rather than later, when the July 14 probe makes its closest flyby. No matter what it is, for sure, it will be something amazing
The Nasa broadcast live through this web site. Https://informal.jpl.nasa.gov/museum/
* Candidate M.Sc. Planetary Geology, University of Minnesota. Co-director of the Planetary Science and Astrobiology – TITAN, National University of Colombia
DAVID TOVAR R. *
TIME
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