Posted on 10/02/2015 2:30:58 AM PDT by lbryce
Charon: Moon of Pluto A darkened and mysterious north polar region informally known as Mordor Macula caps this premier high-resolution portrait of Charon, Pluto's largest moon. Captured by New Horizons near its closest approach on July 14, the image data was transmitted to Earth on September 21.
The combined blue, red, and infrared data is processed to enhance colors, following variations in surface properties with a resolution of about 2.9 kilometers (1.8 miles). In fact, Charon is 1,214 kilometers (754 miles) across, about 1/10th the size of planet Earth but a whopping 1/2 the diameter of Pluto itself. That makes it the largest satellite relative to its planet in the solar system.
This remarkable image of Charon's Pluto-facing hemisphere shows a clearer view of an apparently moon-girdling belt of fractures and canyons that seems to separate smooth southern plains from varied northern terrain. For those who caught all caught up with Pluto, you may have an equally compelling sight
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(Excerpt) Read more at apod.nasa.gov ...
Charon is on the line
It’s a great pic — we’ve seen about a tenth of all the pics the New Horizons snapped on the way through. This is not the first one that knocked me on my ass (figuratively).
already posted, btw:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3343669/posts
"Of course not, I don't have nearly enough mass. And don't call me Sharon."
UNBELIEVABLE. We get more lighting from Venus than Pluto gets out there from the sun on a clear day...incredible pic.
Looks more like Merdre Macula.
That's what I've been wondering about these great pictures; how can they be so bright. I would imagine at that great distance from the sun, Pluto and its moon would be bathed in little more than starlight.
Here the petition to promote Pluto back to planetary status…
Remember you are not just helping Pluto but if it was promoted it would be a stick in the eye of atheist activist Neil Tyson’s who played a big role in demoting it.
https://www.change.org/p/international-astronomical-union-declare-pluto-a-planet-plutoflyby
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