NASA shared a stunning picture of the ‘rainbow-colored’ planet, better known to us as Pluto. Here is more on the fascinating image.
Pluto: The rainbow planet
NASA took to Instagram to paint the picture of Pluto in a new light. The image shows areas of the planet in various incredible colors. “Where does the rainbow end? Pluto isn’t a psychedelic riot of colors—this translated color image was created by New Horizons scientists to highlight the many subtle color differences between the planet’s distinct regions. Pluto has a complex, varied surface with jumbled mountains reminiscent of Europa, networks of carved-out valleys, old, heavily cratered terrain sitting right next to new, smooth icy plains, and even what might be wind-blown dunes,” wrote the space agency.
“New Horizons launched on January 19, 2006, and conducted a six-month-long flyby study of Pluto and its moons in summer 2015. The spacecraft continues to explore the distant solar system, heading farther into the Kuiper Belt,” they added.
More on the captivating image
As per NASA, “Pluto is shown in a rainbow of colors that characterize its various regions. The left side of the planet is largely blue-green and contains purple swirls. However, the right side ranges from a vibrant yellow-green to a reddish-orange from top to bottom”.
One user commented “Pride month on Pluto?” while another wrote, “Pluto is where the party’s at.”
Pluto, once considered the ninth planet of our solar system was discovered in 1930. Following the discovery of intriguing planets deeper in the Kuiper Belt, it was stripped of its status and classified as a dwarf planet. Additionally, as per NASA, it is half the width of the US and about 3.6 billion miles away from the Sun. Its extremely cold temperature of -387 F., the thin, mostly- nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane atmosphere makes life on it impossible.