New colored images of Pluto from NASA

Photos Плутона color , received interplanetary station New Horizons, show us the appearance of the planetoid with a maximum at the moment approached. Thus, the size of dark spots is about 480 km in diameter (as the site says NASA). So far, scientists have not seen anything similar to the dark spots on the surface of the planetoid. Interest in them is increasing with the approach of the machine to Pluto.

The origin of these dark areas also remains a mystery. The answer may be obtained by further approach New Horizons to Pluto. "It's a real mystery - we do not know what are the spots, and we can not wait to find out when it is" - commented Alan Stern, a leading expert of the project.

Color images were obtained as follows: the project team has combined the past black and white pictures of Pluto and Charon with color images of low resolution obtained tool Ralph. According to experts, now we see the planet and its satellite in almost natural color.



Now there is a training tool tip that will help in the study of the atmosphere of the dwarf planet. If Pluto has a cloud (well, suddenly), New Horizons will be able to find them. In addition, the planet will be learning with tools LORRI and Ralph (color camera), which will have to see the planet's surface, looking through the clouds. "We get a picture of clouds, using a number of methods. If we find the cloud, we can calculate the speed and direction of winds on Pluto "- says Kelsey Singer, member of the project.



Since April, the method of deconvolution (image processing method in an image editor) allowed scientists to identify a wide range of objects on Pluto's surface, including a bright area on one of the poles, which has already christened "polar cap". According to experts studying Pluto, the planet's surface is very different in structure, with many differing areas (at least, the brightness of a picture). Previously, some scientists thought Pluto - a relatively homogeneous body, but it is now clear that this is not so.

If anyone is interested in other images of Pluto, the raw photo gallery Pluto is here .

Source: geektimes.ru/post/252944/