Posted on 05/09/2016 11:57:59 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Discovered in June 2005, Pluto’s outermost moon Hydra is thought to have formed four billion years ago during a massive impact event that created Pluto and Charon.
Despite its age, this 31-mile-wide moon appeared remarkably clean and bright in New Horizons images during the spacecraft’s historic close pass through the Pluto system in July 2015.
Scientists’ initial speculation was proved right when data from the spacecraft was analyzed and revealed that Hydra, like its name [??], is covered in nearly pure water ice.
Measured with the Linear Etalon Imaging Spectral Array (LEISA) on New Horizons’ Ralph instrument, the spectral signature of water ice on Hydra is even stronger than that seen on Pluto’s much larger satellite Charon, indicating a surface coated with bigger ice particles and less dusty, dark material.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.discovery.com ...
Incorrect terminology. Science / Journalism FAIL.
‘Frozen’ would be more accurate, as in frozen liquid sulfuric acid as opposed to pure water ice with trace elements of sulfur.
Well, there's dry ice. I'm pretty sure I remember a Mars Lander that scooped away soil to reveal non-water "ice" balls that sublimated fairly quickly.
Yes, yea... now if it were only coated in Coca Cola - or Jim Beam - it might be worth exploring.
That means only one thing: we need to find a large enough glass and enough Scotch Whisky to use it as an ice cube (well, ok, an ice sphere). That would be a space program we can all get behind.
Indeed
Dry ice is not a science term.
Dry ice is not a science term.
I science and engineering terminology matters. I know that common reporting screws this up frequently
Thanks BenLurkin, extra to APoD.
Discovered in June 2005, Pluto’s outermost moon Hydra is thought to have formed four billion years ago during a massive impact event that created Pluto and Charon... Hydra, like its name [??], is covered in nearly pure water ice.
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