The Pluto system was recently explored by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, which made its closest approach to the dwarf planet on July 14, 2015. Pluto’s surface is found to be remarkably diverse, and its wide range of surface expressions and long-term activity raises fundamental questions about how small planets can have active processes billions of years after their formation. The geology of Pluto’s large moon Charon is also surprisingly diverse, displaying tectonics and evidence for a heterogeneous crustal composition, and its small satellites Hydra and Nix have higher albedos than expected. Presented in this session will be an overview of the New Horizons flyby, payload, and results.
12 сен 2024
