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Amazing pictures reveal a day on the distant planet Pluto

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NASA’s newest Pluto pictures depict an entire day on the dwarf planet.

The space agency released a series of 10 close-ups of the frosty, faraway world Friday, representing one full rotation, or Pluto day. A Pluto day is equivalent to 6.4 Earth days.

The New Horizons spacecraft snapped the pictures as it zoomed past Pluto in an unprecedented flyby in July. Pluto was between 400,000 and 5 million miles from the camera for these photos.

A similar series of shots were taken of Pluto’s jumbo moon, Charon. But the Pluto pictures stand out much more because of the orb’s distinct heart-shaped region. Scientists call the heart Tombaugh Regio, after the U.S. astronomer who discovered Pluto in 1930.

New Horizons is now headed to a new target.

This photo provided by NASA shows NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft capturing Pluto rotating over the course of a full “Pluto day,”in an unprecedented flyby in July 2015. The space agency released a series of 10 close-ups of the frosty, faraway world Friday, Nov. 20, 2015, representing one full rotation, or Pluto day. A Pluto day is equivalent to 6.4 Earth days. (NASA via AP)

This photo provided by NASA shows NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft capturing Pluto rotating over the course of a full “Pluto day,”in an unprecedented flyby in July 2015. The space agency released a series of 10 close-ups of the frosty, faraway world Friday, Nov. 20, 2015, representing one full rotation, or Pluto day. A Pluto day is equivalent to 6.4 Earth days. (NASA via AP)

 

CORRECTS TO CHARON, NOT PLUTO - This photo taken by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft and released by NASA, shows images of Charon, the largest of Pluto’s five moons, representing one full rotation during an unprecedented flyby in July 2015. The space agency released the series of 10 close-ups on Friday, Nov. 20, 2015. Charon – like Pluto – rotates once every 6.4 Earth days. (NASA via AP)

This photo taken by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft and released by NASA, shows images of Charon, the largest of Pluto’s five moons, representing one full rotation during an unprecedented flyby in July 2015. The space agency released the series of 10 close-ups on Friday, Nov. 20, 2015. Charon – like Pluto – rotates once every 6.4 Earth days. (NASA via AP)

 

The Associated Press contributed to this article. 

About the Author

Stephen is a U.S. Army veteran with over a decade of combined experience in political commentary, economics, and news.

Comments

  1. Leo Pusateri says

    How can Pluto NOT be considered a planet? I mean– FIVE moons?

    That’s gotta be impressive in anyone’s book.

  3. Gerald Mann says

    Maybe we can send the Muslims there , if we tell them Allah and a lot of virgins are waiting for them there perhaps they will all go !

  4. Justin W says

    I never cease to be amazed at the beauty of God’s creation. Maybe a future mission will give us more detail and color.