APOD: 2015 July 11 Geology on Pluto
Explanation:
Pluto is coming into focus.
As the robotic
New Horizons spacecraft bears down on this unexplored world of the distant
Solar System,
new features on its surface are becoming evident.
In the
displayed image taken last Thursday and released yesterday, an unusual
polygonal structure roughly 200 kilometers wide is visible on the left,
while just below it relatively
complex terrain runs diagonally across the dwarf planet.
New Horizon's
images and data on these structures will likely be studied for years to
come in an effort to better understand the geologic history of
Pluto and our Solar System.
After suffering a
troublesome glitch last week,
New Horizons will make its historic
flyby of
Pluto and its moons on Tuesday.
Pluto flyby updates: #PlutoFlyby,
Twitter,
Facebook,
Web
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
