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New Horizons: Nasa releases historic Pluto close-up images New Horizons: Images reveal ice mountains on Pluto
(35 minutes later)
Nasa has presented the first images acquired by the New Horizons probe during its historic flyby of Pluto. Pluto has mountains made of ice that are as high as those in the Rockies, images from the New Horizons probe reveal.
Chief scientist Alan Stern said the new images showed evidence of geological activity and mountains in the Pluto system. They also show signs of geological activity on Pluto and its moon Charon.
Scientists have been presenting the first pictures acquired by the New Horizons probe during its historic flyby of the dwarf planet.
The team has also named the prominent heart-shaped region on Pluto after the world's discoverer Clyde Tombaugh.The team has also named the prominent heart-shaped region on Pluto after the world's discoverer Clyde Tombaugh.
The spacecraft sped past the dwarf planet on Tuesday, grabbing a huge volume of data. The spacecraft sped past the dwarf planet on Tuesday, getting as close as 12,500km and grabbing a huge volume of data.
Mission scientist John Spencer told journalists that one image of Pluto's surface showed a terrain that had been resurfaced by some geological process - such as volcanism - in the last 100 million years. Mission scientist John Spencer told journalists that the first close-up image of Pluto's surface showed a terrain that had been resurfaced by some geological process - such as volcanism - within the last 100 million years.
"We have not found a single impact crater on this image. This means it must be a very young surface," he said."We have not found a single impact crater on this image. This means it must be a very young surface," he said.
This active geology needs some source of heat. This has only been seen on icy moons, where it can be explained by "tidal heating" caused by gravitational interactions with the host planet. This active geology needs some source of heat. Previously, such activity has only been seen on icy moons, where it can be explained by "tidal heating" caused by gravitational interactions with a large host planet.
"You do not need tidal heating to power geological heating on icy bodies. That's a really important discovery we just made this morning," said Dr Spencer."You do not need tidal heating to power geological heating on icy bodies. That's a really important discovery we just made this morning," said Dr Spencer.
Prof Stern said the discovery would "send a lot of geophysicists back to the drawing boards".
Mission scientist Cathy Olkin added: "This exceeds what we came for."Mission scientist Cathy Olkin added: "This exceeds what we came for."
This same image shows mountains at the edge of the heart-like region that are up to 11,000ft high and which team members compared to North America's Rocky Mountains. This same image shows mountains at the edge of the heart-like region that are up to 11,000ft (3,300m) high and which team members compared to North America's Rocky Mountains.
John Spencer said the methane and nitrogen ice that coats Pluto's surface were not strong enough to form mountains, so they were probably composed of Pluto's water-ice bedrock.John Spencer said the methane and nitrogen ice that coats Pluto's surface were not strong enough to form mountains, so they were probably composed of Pluto's water-ice bedrock.
In memoriam
The pictures were sent back to Earth during the course of two data downlinks on Wednesday.The pictures were sent back to Earth during the course of two data downlinks on Wednesday.
Scientists have named the heart-shaped region Tombaugh Regio, after the astronomer who discovered Pluto in 1930.Scientists have named the heart-shaped region Tombaugh Regio, after the astronomer who discovered Pluto in 1930.
The new, close-up image of Charon has revealed a chasm 4-6 miles deep and also further evidence of active resurfacing.The new, close-up image of Charon has revealed a chasm 4-6 miles deep and also further evidence of active resurfacing.
The first well resolved picture of Pluto's small moon Hydra reveals an elongated body with a surface predominantly made of water-ice. In addition, scientists have come up with a good estimate for its size: 43km by 33km.
"Hydra is not a planet," team member Hal Weaver joked.
The snap contains only a few pixels because the moon is so small and distant; New Horizons took the shot from a distance of 400,000 miles (650,000km).
Significantly, all these images are at a much higher resolution than anything we have seen so far.Significantly, all these images are at a much higher resolution than anything we have seen so far.
The mission team has told New Horizons this week to send down only a small fraction of the total data it carries.The mission team has told New Horizons this week to send down only a small fraction of the total data it carries.
Part of the reason is that the probe continues to do science, observing Pluto from its night side.Part of the reason is that the probe continues to do science, observing Pluto from its night side.
The intention is to keep looking at it for about two more full rotations, or 12 Earth days.The intention is to keep looking at it for about two more full rotations, or 12 Earth days.
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