Pluto's "Heart" Spied by New Horizons Spacecraft
Space.com
July 8, 2015
Pluto looks especially welcoming in a new photo by NASA's approaching New Horizons probe.
The image, which New Horizons took July 7 when it was less than 5 million miles from Pluto, shows a large heart-shaped feature on the dwarf planet's surface.
The bright "heart" is about 1,200 miles wide, NASA officials said.
To it's left lies an 1,860 mile long dark patch along Pluto's equator, that mission scientists are calling "the whale."
New Horizons should get much better looks at both of these intriguing features in the coming days - especially during it's July 14 flyby, when the probe will zoom within 7,800 miles of Pluto's surface.
More + photo:
http://www.space.com/29884-pluto-heart-new-horizons-photo.html
= new reply since forum marked as read
Kick in to the DU tip jar?
This week we're running a special pop-up mini fund drive. From Monday through Friday we're going ad-free for all registered members, and we're asking you to kick in to the DU tip jar to support the site and keep us financially healthy.
As a bonus, making a contribution will allow you to leave kudos for another DU member, and at the end of the week we'll recognize the DUers who you think make this community great.