Northern Pluto
Explanation:
Gaze
across
the frozen canyons of northern Pluto in this contrast enhanced color scene.
The image data used to construct it was acquired
in July 2015 by the New Horizons spacecraft as it made
the first reconnaissance flight through
the remote Pluto system six billion kilometers from the Sun.
Now known
as Lowell Regio, the region was
named for Percival Lowell, founder of the Lowell Observatory.
Also famous for his speculation that there were canals on Mars,
Lowell started the search that ultimately
led
to Pluto's discovery
in 1930 by
Clyde
Tombaugh.
In this frame Pluto's
North
Pole
is above and left of center.
The pale bluish floor of the broad canyon on the left is about 70
kilometers (45 miles) wide, running vertically toward the south.
Higher elevations take on a yellowish hue.
New Horizon's
measurements
were used to determine that in addition to nitrogen ice,
methane ice is abundant across Lowell Regio.
So far, Pluto is the only
Solar
System world named by an 11-year-old girl.
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.
