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| Nasa unveils 'surprise' Pluto photos and New Horizons discoveries – as it happened | Nasa unveils 'surprise' Pluto photos and New Horizons discoveries – as it happened |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| 9.19pm BST | 9.19pm BST |
| 21:19 | 21:19 |
| We’re going to close our live coverage of the New Horizons mission to Pluto with a quick summary of Nasa’s most recent revelations from the edge of our solar system. | We’re going to close our live coverage of the New Horizons mission to Pluto with a quick summary of Nasa’s most recent revelations from the edge of our solar system. |
| 9.02pm BST | 9.02pm BST |
| 21:02 | 21:02 |
| There’s something about these two worlds that’s “very very different,” Stern says. One has an atmosphere, the other doesn’t, one is covered in water ice, the other in volatiles (a category of active chemicals). | There’s something about these two worlds that’s “very very different,” Stern says. One has an atmosphere, the other doesn’t, one is covered in water ice, the other in volatiles (a category of active chemicals). |
| “It’s a puzzle, it’s a real puzzle.” | “It’s a puzzle, it’s a real puzzle.” |
| And with that Dwayne Brown convenes the briefing – at least until Friday, when Stern and the others will meet the press again from Nasa headquarters. | And with that Dwayne Brown convenes the briefing – at least until Friday, when Stern and the others will meet the press again from Nasa headquarters. |
| 9.00pm BST | 9.00pm BST |
| 21:00 | 21:00 |
| The team reacted with “something close to bedlam” with the data coming down in the past 24 hours, Stern says. | The team reacted with “something close to bedlam” with the data coming down in the past 24 hours, Stern says. |
| “I don’t think any of us could’ve imagined that it was this good a toy store.” | “I don’t think any of us could’ve imagined that it was this good a toy store.” |
| “This is what we came for,” Weaver says. | “This is what we came for,” Weaver says. |
| “This exceeds what we came for,” Olkin interjects. | “This exceeds what we came for,” Olkin interjects. |
| 8.59pm BST | 8.59pm BST |
| 20:59 | 20:59 |
| “It’s like piles of stuff with grooves on it,” John Spencer says. | “It’s like piles of stuff with grooves on it,” John Spencer says. |
| “There’s been erosion, there’s been mountain building,” he says, “and it’s baffling, it’s baffling in a very interesting and wonderful way.” | “There’s been erosion, there’s been mountain building,” he says, “and it’s baffling, it’s baffling in a very interesting and wonderful way.” |
| “I hope that when we get some more context,” he concludes, “it’ll start to make some sense.” | “I hope that when we get some more context,” he concludes, “it’ll start to make some sense.” |
| The ice mountain range – about the size of the Rockies, Stern says – is at about the base of the heart region, now known as Tombaugh Reggio. | The ice mountain range – about the size of the Rockies, Stern says – is at about the base of the heart region, now known as Tombaugh Reggio. |
| Spencer says that the day’s data shows that these small or mid-size worlds could be as complex and active as larger worlds “if we can get a spacecraft to them”. | Spencer says that the day’s data shows that these small or mid-size worlds could be as complex and active as larger worlds “if we can get a spacecraft to them”. |
| “This doesn’t look like Triton which is the world we thought up till now in our solar system that is most similar to Pluto,” he says. | “This doesn’t look like Triton which is the world we thought up till now in our solar system that is most similar to Pluto,” he says. |
| “It doesn’t look at all like this, there’s something very different about Plutonian geology.” | “It doesn’t look at all like this, there’s something very different about Plutonian geology.” |
| As for Charon, “it looks a little bit like some of the moons of Uranus, I would say.” | As for Charon, “it looks a little bit like some of the moons of Uranus, I would say.” |
| But Spencer and the team resist any comparisons to other worlds so far, simply because they have so much data to investigate – and because the data means they have to go back and look at other worlds. | But Spencer and the team resist any comparisons to other worlds so far, simply because they have so much data to investigate – and because the data means they have to go back and look at other worlds. |
| “Now that I would say we can get these kinds of activity on worlds that do not get tidal heating, I would say we have to go back and look at that.” | “Now that I would say we can get these kinds of activity on worlds that do not get tidal heating, I would say we have to go back and look at that.” |
| “Pluto has so much diversity,” Olkin adds. “There’s nothing like it.” | “Pluto has so much diversity,” Olkin adds. “There’s nothing like it.” |
| 8.51pm BST | 8.51pm BST |
| 20:51 | 20:51 |
| The New York Times’ science writer Dennis Overbye tweets what the Nasa team is too happy and polite to say themselves. | The New York Times’ science writer Dennis Overbye tweets what the Nasa team is too happy and polite to say themselves. |
| As usual after the first look at a planet, nobody knows anything #pluto | As usual after the first look at a planet, nobody knows anything #pluto |
| 8.50pm BST | 8.50pm BST |
| 20:50 | 20:50 |
| Stern says he’s hopeful to find craters “as windows into the interior”, and he and Grundy say they’re waiting on some more results to determine what kinds of organic chemicals might be present on the surface or in the atmosphere. | Stern says he’s hopeful to find craters “as windows into the interior”, and he and Grundy say they’re waiting on some more results to determine what kinds of organic chemicals might be present on the surface or in the atmosphere. |
| He then talks a bit about how the mission is looking into how Pluto’s atmosphere is escaping – very quickly, mostly. | He then talks a bit about how the mission is looking into how Pluto’s atmosphere is escaping – very quickly, mostly. |
| Learning more about that process will help reveal what happened in the infancy of the Earth-Moon system, Stern says, when it’s believed that the earth lost its “poisonous envelope” of toxic chemicals. | Learning more about that process will help reveal what happened in the infancy of the Earth-Moon system, Stern says, when it’s believed that the earth lost its “poisonous envelope” of toxic chemicals. |
| The variables of determining how fast the atmosphere is escaping, how that relates to the sun, etc, should “give us a good handle on the numerical models that are used to understand the early Earth and the loss of our atmosphere.” | The variables of determining how fast the atmosphere is escaping, how that relates to the sun, etc, should “give us a good handle on the numerical models that are used to understand the early Earth and the loss of our atmosphere.” |
| The research also “has some implications on the loss of water from early Mars,” he adds, and will “ultimately translate into a better understanding of other planets in our solar system.” | The research also “has some implications on the loss of water from early Mars,” he adds, and will “ultimately translate into a better understanding of other planets in our solar system.” |
| 8.41pm BST | 8.41pm BST |
| 20:41 | 20:41 |
| Stern says that he’s been very surprised by the evidence of geological activity, and Hal Weaver says that he’s stunned by the massive ice mountains. | Stern says that he’s been very surprised by the evidence of geological activity, and Hal Weaver says that he’s stunned by the massive ice mountains. |
| There’s “an amazing diversity” of topography and compositional regions, Grundy says, which he thinks suggests a corresponding diversity of systems and processes – a far more complex world than most people predicted. | There’s “an amazing diversity” of topography and compositional regions, Grundy says, which he thinks suggests a corresponding diversity of systems and processes – a far more complex world than most people predicted. |
| 8.39pm BST | 8.39pm BST |
| 20:39 | 20:39 |
| A reporter asks Stern whether his predictions of “something wonderful” were realized. | A reporter asks Stern whether his predictions of “something wonderful” were realized. |
| “Ya think?” Stern tosses back. “The Pluto system is something wonderful.” | “Ya think?” Stern tosses back. “The Pluto system is something wonderful.” |
| Quite a few reporters ask about the activity on Charon, but the researchers are loathe to make an predictions – with one pointing out that they could be embarrassed as soon as tomorrow when better data comes through from the spacecraft. | Quite a few reporters ask about the activity on Charon, but the researchers are loathe to make an predictions – with one pointing out that they could be embarrassed as soon as tomorrow when better data comes through from the spacecraft. |
| Stern says that spectroscopic data could help explain a particularly dark region on Charon: “If it’s a basin that would be pretty obvious for example, and if it’s a raised plateau that would mean something else.” | Stern says that spectroscopic data could help explain a particularly dark region on Charon: “If it’s a basin that would be pretty obvious for example, and if it’s a raised plateau that would mean something else.” |
| Another asks about what kind of energy source might be generating the activity on Pluto and Charon. | Another asks about what kind of energy source might be generating the activity on Pluto and Charon. |
| “We know that there’s radioactive material inside Pluto and Charon,” a researcher answers, “as there is inside any average body in our solar system” | “We know that there’s radioactive material inside Pluto and Charon,” a researcher answers, “as there is inside any average body in our solar system” |
| He notes that the Earth in contrast “is a lot bigger and keep hold of that heat,” so the discovery of activity might mean “even very small bodies if they’re very icy, radioactive heat” can generate activity. Or “there may be ways that bodies can store heat” from their formation for a very long time, or “maybe an ocean raises heat into the crust and that can create activity.” | He notes that the Earth in contrast “is a lot bigger and keep hold of that heat,” so the discovery of activity might mean “even very small bodies if they’re very icy, radioactive heat” can generate activity. Or “there may be ways that bodies can store heat” from their formation for a very long time, or “maybe an ocean raises heat into the crust and that can create activity.” |
| Stern cuts in: “one thing that we can say for sure is that tidal energy is not at work and we know that because Pluto and Charon are in tidal equilibrium.” | Stern cuts in: “one thing that we can say for sure is that tidal energy is not at work and we know that because Pluto and Charon are in tidal equilibrium.” |
| 8.31pm BST | 8.31pm BST |
| 20:31 | 20:31 |
| The Smithsonian’s Alexis Stemplen provides a little perspective about how active Pluto is and how young those mountains are. | The Smithsonian’s Alexis Stemplen provides a little perspective about how active Pluto is and how young those mountains are. |
| This is likely less than 100 million years old. That's younger than the Himalayas! #PlutoFlyby https://t.co/AFtpVURg2O | This is likely less than 100 million years old. That's younger than the Himalayas! #PlutoFlyby https://t.co/AFtpVURg2O |
| 8.30pm BST | 8.30pm BST |
| 20:30 | 20:30 |
| A little context from Nasa on that close-up image of Pluto’s surface. | A little context from Nasa on that close-up image of Pluto’s surface. |
| Zoom into Pluto & discover mountains, seen during yesterday's @NASANewHorizons #PlutoFlyby: http://t.co/6QLXLxiW0o https://t.co/toJQ0j7wB6 | Zoom into Pluto & discover mountains, seen during yesterday's @NASANewHorizons #PlutoFlyby: http://t.co/6QLXLxiW0o https://t.co/toJQ0j7wB6 |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 8.33pm BST | at 8.33pm BST |
| 8.29pm BST | 8.29pm BST |
| 20:29 | 20:29 |
| Water on Pluto | Water on Pluto |
| Stern is now talking about water on Pluto: “the bedrock that makes those mountains must be made of H2O, of water ice.” | Stern is now talking about water on Pluto: “the bedrock that makes those mountains must be made of H2O, of water ice.” |
| He says that in some areas it looks like “the nitrogen veneer has been scraped off,” and “we can be very sure that the water is there in great abundance.” | He says that in some areas it looks like “the nitrogen veneer has been scraped off,” and “we can be very sure that the water is there in great abundance.” |
| Stern then talks a bit about how the look at Pluto’s “steep topography” suggests “there must be internal activity that’s dredging activity up”. | Stern then talks a bit about how the look at Pluto’s “steep topography” suggests “there must be internal activity that’s dredging activity up”. |
| “We haven’t found geysers, and we haven’t found cryovolcanoes,” but he says this means it’s a good indication that the team should be looking for them. | “We haven’t found geysers, and we haven’t found cryovolcanoes,” but he says this means it’s a good indication that the team should be looking for them. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 8.30pm BST | at 8.30pm BST |
| 8.25pm BST | 8.25pm BST |
| 20:25 | 20:25 |
| “This is the first time we’ve seen an icy world that isn’t orbiting an icy planet,” he continues. | “This is the first time we’ve seen an icy world that isn’t orbiting an icy planet,” he continues. |
| “There is no giant body that can be deforming Pluto on an ongoing regular basis to heat the interior,” he says, “so this is telling us you don’t need tidal heating to power” change on icy worlds – “this is a really big discovery that we’ve just made this morning.” | “There is no giant body that can be deforming Pluto on an ongoing regular basis to heat the interior,” he says, “so this is telling us you don’t need tidal heating to power” change on icy worlds – “this is a really big discovery that we’ve just made this morning.” |
| Stern takes over: “we now have an isolated, small planet that’s showing activity after four and a half billion years.” | Stern takes over: “we now have an isolated, small planet that’s showing activity after four and a half billion years.” |
| “We’ve settled the fact that these very small planets can be active for a long time, and I think that’s going to send a lot of geophysicists back to the drawing board.” | “We’ve settled the fact that these very small planets can be active for a long time, and I think that’s going to send a lot of geophysicists back to the drawing board.” |