{"id":11008,"date":"2015-07-17T22:21:29","date_gmt":"2015-07-18T02:21:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=11008"},"modified":"2015-07-18T02:00:28","modified_gmt":"2015-07-18T06:00:28","slug":"new-horizons-video-of-news-conference-a-frozen-heart-of-co-plutos-atmosphere","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=11008","title":{"rendered":"New Horizons: Video of news conference + A frozen heart of CO + Pluto&#8217;s atmosphere &#038; tail"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Lots of interesting results from <a href=\"http:\/\/pluto.jhuapl.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\">New Horizons<\/a> released today.\u00a0Here is a video of the news\u00a0briefing:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xAGwxl7FZWw?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;-<\/p>\n<p>An early discovery:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/image-feature\/frozen-carbon-monoxide-in-pluto-s-heart\" target=\"_d\">Frozen Carbon Monoxide in Pluto\u2019s &#8216;Heart&#8217;<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/frozen_carbon_monoxide_pluto1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"11010\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?attachment_id=11010\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/frozen_carbon_monoxide_pluto1.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1041,586\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"frozen_carbon_monoxide_pluto[1]\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/frozen_carbon_monoxide_pluto1-1024x576.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11010 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/frozen_carbon_monoxide_pluto1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"frozen_carbon_monoxide_pluto[1]\" width=\"520\" height=\"293\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/frozen_carbon_monoxide_pluto1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/frozen_carbon_monoxide_pluto1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/frozen_carbon_monoxide_pluto1.jpg 1041w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Peering closely at the \u201cheart of Pluto,\u201d in the western half of what mission scientists have informally named Tombaugh Regio \u00a0(Tombaugh Region), <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/press-release\/nasa-s-new-horizons-discovers-frozen-plains-in-the-heart-of-pluto-s-heart\">New Horizons\u2019 Ralph instrument revealed evidence of carbon monoxide ice<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0The contours indicate that the concentration of frozen carbon monoxide increases towards the center of the \u201cbull\u2019s eye.\u201d These data were acquired by the spacecraft on July 14 and transmitted to Earth on July 16.\u00a0<\/em><em>Image Credit: NASA\/JHUAPL\/SWRI<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;-<\/p>\n<p>New Horizon sends the first\u00a0measurements of\u00a0Pluto&#8217;s atmosphere:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/pluto.jhuapl.edu\/News-Center\/News-Article.php?page=20150717-3\" target=\"_d\">New Horizons Reveals Pluto\u2019s Extended Atmosphere<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Scientists working with NASA\u2019s New Horizons spacecraft have observed Pluto\u2019s atmosphere as far as 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) above the surface of the planet, demonstrating that Pluto\u2019s nitrogen-rich atmosphere is quite extended. This is the first observation of Pluto\u2019s atmosphere at altitudes higher than 170 miles above the planet\u2019s surface (270 kilometers).<\/p>\n<p>The new information was gathered by New Horizon\u2019s Alice imaging spectrograph during a carefully designed alignment of the sun, Pluto, and the spacecraft starting about an hour after the craft\u2019s closest approach to the planet on July 14. During the event known as a solar occultation, New Horizons passed through Pluto\u2019s shadow while the sun backlit Pluto\u2019s atmosphere.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is only the beginning for Pluto atmospheric science\u201d says New Horizons scientist Andrew Steffl of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. \u201cNext month, the full Alice occultation dataset will be sent to Earth for analysis. Even so, the data we have now show that Pluto\u2019s atmosphere rises higher above its surface, in relative terms, than does the Earth\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/02_gladstone_03-backup_01.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"11011\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?attachment_id=11011\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/02_gladstone_03-backup_01.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1280,720\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;071715_Atm_PlutoSolarOccultation-MS-v2&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"071715_Atm_PlutoSolarOccultation-MS-v2\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/02_gladstone_03-backup_01-1024x576.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11011 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/02_gladstone_03-backup_01-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"071715_Atm_PlutoSolarOccultation-MS-v2\" width=\"520\" height=\"293\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/02_gladstone_03-backup_01-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/02_gladstone_03-backup_01-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/02_gladstone_03-backup_01.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><a href=\"http:\/\/pluto.jhuapl.edu\/Multimedia\/Science-Photos\/image.php?gallery_id=2&amp;image_id=239\" target=\"_blank\">Pluto Solar Occultations &#8211;\u00a0July 17, 2015<\/a>:\u00a0This figure shows the locations of the sunset and sunrise solar occultations observed by the Alice instrument on the New Horizons spacecraft. The sunset occultation occurred just south of the \u201cheart\u201d region of Pluto, from a range of 30,120 miles (48,200 km), while the sunrise occurred just north of the &#8220;whale tail&#8221;, from a range of 35,650 miles (57,000 km). <a href=\"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/02_gladstone_03-backup_01.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Click for large image<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/02_gladstone_021.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"11012\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?attachment_id=11012\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/02_gladstone_021.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1280,720\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;02_Gladstone_03&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"02_Gladstone_03\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/02_gladstone_021-1024x576.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11012 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/02_gladstone_021-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"02_Gladstone_03\" width=\"520\" height=\"293\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/02_gladstone_021-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/02_gladstone_021-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/02_gladstone_021.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><a href=\"http:\/\/pluto.jhuapl.edu\/Multimedia\/Science-Photos\/image.php?gallery_id=2&amp;image_id=238\" target=\"_blank\">Alice Solar Occultation\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0July 17, 2015<\/a>:\u00a0This figure shows how the Alice instrument count rate changed over time during the sunset and sunrise observations. The count rate is largest when the line of sight to the sun is outside of the atmosphere at the start and end times. Molecular nitrogen (N2) starts absorbing sunlight in the upper reaches of Pluto\u2019s atmosphere, decreasing as the spacecraft approaches the planet\u2019s shadow. As the occultation progresses, atmospheric methane and hydrocarbons can also absorb the sunlight and further decrease the count rate. When the spacecraft is totally in Pluto\u2019s shadow the count rate goes to zero. As the spacecraft emerges from Pluto\u2019s shadow into sunrise, the process is reversed. By plotting the observed count rate in the reverse time direction, it is seen that the atmospheres on opposite sides of Pluto are nearly identical.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/02_gladstone_021.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Click for larger image.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/dX7zMDAWwa8?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>This animation shows how the count rate observed by New Horizons\u2019 Alice instrument decreases as Pluto\u2019s atmosphere passes in front of the sun. The decreasing count rate is due to the ultraviolet sunlight having to pass through progressively larger amounts of the atmosphere as the spacecraft line of sight gets closer to Pluto. The observed count rates are compared with predictions based on two plausible models of Pluto\u2019s atmosphere: a \u201cturbulent\u201d case, where the expected count rate is relatively large, due to small amounts of sunlight-absorbing hydrocarbons in the lower atmosphere, and a \u201cstagnant\u201d case, where much larger hydrocarbon abundances are predicted. The preliminary count rate data from Alice are matched by neither model, but are closer to the stagnant case.\u00a0Image credit: NASA\/JHUAPL\/SwRI<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;-<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/pluto.jhuapl.edu\/News-Center\/News-Article.php?page=20150717-2\" target=\"_d\">Pluto Wags its Tail:<br \/>\nNew Horizons Discovers a Cold, Dense Region of<br \/>\nAtmospheric Ions Behind Pluto<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>New Horizons has discovered a region of cold, dense ionized gas tens of thousands of miles beyond Pluto \u2014 the planet\u2019s atmosphere being stripped away by the solar wind and lost to space. Beginning an hour and half after closest approach, the Solar Wind Around Pluto (SWAP) instrument observed a cavity in the solar wind \u2014 the outflow of electrically charged particles from the Sun \u2014 between 48,000 miles (77,000 km) and 68,000 miles (109,000 km) downstream of Pluto. SWAP data revealed this cavity to be populated with nitrogen ions forming a \u201cplasma tail\u201d of undetermined structure and length extending behind the planet.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/03_bagenal_021.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"11016\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?attachment_id=11016\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/03_bagenal_021.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"985,554\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"03_bagenal_02[1]\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/03_bagenal_021.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11016\" src=\"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/03_bagenal_021.jpg\" alt=\"03_bagenal_02[1]\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/03_bagenal_021.jpg 985w, https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/03_bagenal_021-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><a href=\"http:\/\/pluto.jhuapl.edu\/Multimedia\/Science-Photos\/image.php?gallery_id=2&amp;image_id=235\" target=\"_blank\">Artist\u2019s concept of the interaction of the solar wind (the supersonic outflow of electrically charged particles from the Sun) with Pluto\u2019s predominantly nitrogen atmosphere. &#8211;\u00a0July 17, 2015<\/a>:\u00a0<\/em><\/div>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Artist\u2019s concept of the interaction of the solar wind (the supersonic outflow of electrically charged particles from the Sun) with Pluto\u2019s predominantly nitrogen atmosphere. Some of the molecules that form the atmosphere have enough energy to overcome Pluto\u2019s weak gravity and escape into space, where they are ionized by solar ultraviolet radiation.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>As the solar wind encounters the obstacle formed by the ions, it is slowed and diverted (depicted in the red region), possibly forming a shock wave upstream of Pluto. The ions are \u201cpicked up\u201d by the solar wind and carried in its flow past the dwarf planet to form an ion or plasma tail (blue region). The Solar Wind around Pluto (SWAP) instrument on the New Horizons spacecraft made the first measurements of this region of low-energy atmospheric ions shortly after closest approach on July 14.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Such measurements will enable the SWAP team to determine the rate at which Pluto loses its atmosphere and, in turn, will yield insight into the evolution of the Pluto\u2019s atmosphere and surface. Also illustrated are the orbits of Pluto\u2019s five moons and the trajectory of the spacecraft.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/pluto.jhuapl.edu\/Multimedia\/Science-Photos\/image.php?gallery_id=2&amp;image_id=235\" target=\"_blank\">Click for larger image<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Similar plasma tails are observed at planets like Venus and Mars. In the case of Pluto\u2019s predominantly nitrogen atmosphere, escaping molecules are ionized by solar ultraviolet light, \u201cpicked up\u201d by the solar wind, and carried past Pluto to form the plasma tail discovered by New Horizons. Prior to closest approach, nitrogen ions were detected far upstream of Pluto by the Pluto Energetic Particle Spectrometer Science Investigation (PEPSSI) instrument, providing a foretaste of Pluto\u2019s escaping atmosphere.<\/p>\n<p>Plasma tail formation is but one fundamental aspect of Pluto\u2019s solar wind interaction, the nature of which is determined by several yet poorly constrained factors. Of these, perhaps the most important is the atmospheric loss rate. \u201cThis is just a first tantalizing look at Pluto\u2019s plasma environment,\u201d says co-investigator Fran Bagenal, University of Colorado, Boulder, who leads the New Horizons Particles and Plasma team. \u201cWe\u2019ll be getting more data in August, which we can combine with the Alice and Rex atmospheric measurements to pin down the rate at which Pluto is losing its atmosphere. Once we know that, we\u2019ll be able to answer outstanding questions about the evolution of Pluto\u2019s atmosphere and surface and determine to what extent Pluto\u2019s solar wind interaction is like that of Mars.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lots of interesting results from New Horizons released today.\u00a0Here is a video of the news\u00a0briefing: &#8212;- An early discovery: Frozen Carbon Monoxide in Pluto\u2019s &#8216;Heart&#8217; Peering closely at the \u201cheart of Pluto,\u201d in the western half of what mission scientists have informally named Tombaugh Regio \u00a0(Tombaugh Region), New Horizons\u2019 Ralph instrument revealed evidence of carbon &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=11008\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">New Horizons: Video of news conference + A frozen heart of CO + Pluto&#8217;s atmosphere &#038; tail<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,13,26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pluto","category-space-science","category-space-systems"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p34aWK-2Ry","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":11002,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=11002","url_meta":{"origin":11008,"position":0},"title":"New Horizons: Fly-over video + Charon&#8217;s mountain in a moat + Young and frozen plains","author":"TopSpacer","date":"July 17, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The New Horizons mission released the following video today: This simulated flyover of Pluto\u2019s Norgay Montes (Norgay Mountains) and Sputnik Planum (Sputnik Plain) was created from New Horizons closest-approach images. Norgay Montes have been informally named for Tenzing Norgay, one of the first two humans to reach the summit of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Pluto and beyond&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Pluto and beyond","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=97"},"img":{"alt_text":"CHARON%20GRAPHIC%207-16[1]","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/CHARON-GRAPHIC-7-161-1024x576.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":11040,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=11040","url_meta":{"origin":11008,"position":1},"title":"New Horizons: Second mountain range in Pluto&#8217;s Heart + Images of Nix and Hydra","author":"TopSpacer","date":"July 21, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"More images from\u00a0New Horizons\u00a0of Pluto and its Moons\u00a0were released\u00a0today: NASA\u2019s New Horizons Finds Second Mountain Range in Pluto\u2019s \u2018Heart\u2019 Click for larger image A newly discovered mountain range lies near the southwestern margin of Pluto\u2019s\u00a0Tombaugh\u00a0Regio\u00a0(Tombaugh\u00a0Region), situated between bright, icy plains and dark,\u00a0heavily-cratered\u00a0terrain. This image was acquired by New Horizons\u2019 Long\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Pluto and beyond&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Pluto and beyond","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=97"},"img":{"alt_text":"nh-pluto-mountain-range[1]","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/nh-pluto-mountain-range1-1024x1022.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6582,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=6582","url_meta":{"origin":11008,"position":2},"title":"Video: New Horizons heading for Pluto","author":"TopSpacer","date":"February 22, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"A new video from the New Horizons\u00a0mission, whose spacecraft will fly by Pluto in July of 2015: http:\/\/youtu.be\/yqzL12kHOl4 Caption: Pluto has been a newsmaker and topic of scientific fascination since Clyde Tombaugh discovered it in February 1930. While conversations continue over Pluto's planetary identity, at least one theme carried through\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Space Science&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Space Science","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=13"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/yqzL12kHOl4\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9847,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=9847","url_meta":{"origin":11008,"position":3},"title":"New Horizons returns new images of Pluto","author":"TopSpacer","date":"February 4, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The New Horizons spacecraft moves ever closer to Pluto and to its fly-by this summer. Here are new pictures taken by the satellite of the Pluto system: Happy Birthday Clyde Tombaugh: New Horizons Returns New Images of Pluto Pluto discoverer Clyde Tombaugh could only dream of a spacecraft flying past\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Pluto and beyond&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Pluto and beyond","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=97"},"img":{"alt_text":"20150204_Payload-LORRI","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/20150204_Payload-LORRI-300x249.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":11073,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=11073","url_meta":{"origin":11008,"position":4},"title":"New Horizons: Images show atmospheric haze around Pluto and ices flowing on the surface","author":"TopSpacer","date":"July 24, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Several new images from the\u00a0New Horizons fly-by were released today during the press conference. Some of the images are shown below and many more are available\u00a0in this\u00a0New Horizons gallery. New Horizons Team Finds Haze, Flowing Ice on Pluto Flowing ice and a surprising extended haze are among the newest discoveries\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Pluto and beyond&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Pluto and beyond","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=97"},"img":{"alt_text":"nh-pluto-haze-full[1]","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/nh-pluto-haze-full1-1024x639.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9970,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=9970","url_meta":{"origin":11008,"position":5},"title":"New Horizons spots small moons circling Pluto","author":"TopSpacer","date":"February 22, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The\u00a0New Horizons\u00a0probe is closing in on the Pluto system, which it will fly by in July. the latest pictures from the spacecraft are processed to enhanced the details Pluto's moons : 85 Years after Pluto\u2019s Discovery, New Horizons Spots Small Moons Orbiting Pluto Exactly 85 years after Clyde Tombaugh\u2019s historic\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Pluto and beyond&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Pluto and beyond","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=97"},"img":{"alt_text":"LORRI_4x4_Presser_02[1]","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/LORRI_4x4_Presser_021.gif?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/LORRI_4x4_Presser_021.gif?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/LORRI_4x4_Presser_021.gif?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/LORRI_4x4_Presser_021.gif?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11008","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11008"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11008\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11019,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11008\/revisions\/11019"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11008"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11008"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11008"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}