Wright Mons on Pluto
Explanation:
Long
shadows are cast
by a low Sun across this rugged looking terrain.
Captured by New Horizons,
the scene is found just south of the southern tip Sputnik Planum,
the informally named smooth, bright heart
region of Pluto.
Centered is a feature provisionally known as Wright Mons, a broad,
tall mountain, about 150 kilometers across and 4 kilometers high, with
a 56 kilometer wide, deep summit depression.
Of course, broad mountains with central craters are found
elsewhere in the Solar System, like
Mauna Loa on planet Earth and
Olympus Mons on Mars.
In fact, New Horizons scientists announced
the striking similarity of
Pluto's Wright Mons, and
nearby Piccard Mons, to large shield volcanoes strongly suggests
the two could be giant cryovolcanoes that once erupted
molten ice from the interior of the cold, distant world.
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.
