New Horizons probe found “dark pole” Charon, Pluto – RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, June 23 – RIA Novosti. An analysis of images that New Horizons probe is received over the past month has helped astronomers to find out that one of the poles of Charon, Pluto, turned out to be surprisingly painted in dark tone, the website of the mission.

“The scientific team is now almost complete ecstasy on what we see as we approach the Pluto – all of those types of relief that are present on the planet, including the dark and light areas, opened our eyes. This is the real “Field of Dreams”! And as Charon, I do not think anyone was expecting it a dark pole, “- said project scientist Alan Stern (Alan Stern).

Stern explains, over the last month camera LORRI, installed aboard New Horizons, continuously transmit to Earth photographs of Pluto and Charon, which scientists have tried to assess whether they can see all of the features of the surface of these planets at the time when the probe close to them as possible.

According to estimates planetology the side of Pluto, which will look at the New Horizons during their rendezvous will be much more diverse and interesting to study than the reverse side of the space, “the king of the underworld.” Charon appears to be even more interesting to observe during the convergence, as scientists have a chance to solve the mystery of why one of his poles painted in dark colors.

Now New Horizons is located at a distance 4.7 billion kilometers from Earth, only 25 million kilometers from the Pluto system. Convergence probe Pluto, Charon, and their companions will happen on July 16 this year, after which the spacecraft will continue its journey to the distant outskirts of the solar system.

New Horizons probe was launched on 19 January 2006. Its main purpose – Pluto and its moon, Charon, Nix and Hydra. It is expected that the unit will come to a minimum distance of Pluto in July 2015. After that, he can continue to study objects in the Kuiper Belt – the outer asteroid belt, where there are many large icy bodies, many of which are believed by astronomers larger than Pluto.