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> Pluto centered at 180 degrees longitude

Pluto centered at 180 degrees longitude

author: Nasa/ESA/SRI/Novapix

reference: a-plu02-00006

Image Size 300 DPI: 10 * 10 cm

This is the most detailed view to date of the entire surface of the dwarf planet Pluto, as constructed from multiple NASA Hubble Space Telescope photographs taken from 2002 to 2003. Hubble's view isn't sharp enough to see craters or mountains, if they exist on the surface, but Hubble reveals a complex-looking and variegated world with white, dark-orange, and charcoal-black terrain. The overall color is believed to be a result of ultraviolet radiation from the distant Sun breaking up methane that is present on Pluto's surface, leaving behind a dark, molasses-colored, carbon-rich residue. The center disk (180 degrees) has a mysterious bright spot that is unusually rich in carbon monoxide frost.

Keywords for this photo:

134340 PLUTO - 2010 - ASTRONOMY - DWARF PLANET - GLOBAL VIEW - HST - HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - PLUTO - PLUTOID - TNO - TRANSNEPTUNIAN OBJECT -