Images Of Pluto From New Horizons

By S R Hartley
1st September 2015
Interests Science & Nature
New Horizons Space Probe
New Horizons Space Probe   Credit: NASA

This page features my favorite images of Pluto, taken by New Horizons, a NASA space probe.

New Horizons was launched on January 19th 2006 and sent on a 9 year+ journey to Pluto and beyond. New Horizons made its closest approach to the distant planet of Pluto on the 14th of July, 2015.

Travelling at up to 32,500 miles per hour on the closest approach, New Horizons came within 7,750 miles of the planets surface. Up until this time, Pluto was the only planet in the solar system (of the 'historical eight') which had never been visited by a spacecraft.

When the first images of Pluto came back, they were taken a considerable distance away and the image quality was not so good. However, as New Horizons got closer to Pluto, more detailed images of this planet (and neighboring moon, Charon) were down-linked to Earth (albeit very slowly). Scientists were hoping to see objects on the planet as little as 200 feet across (about the size of a Boeing 747 aeroplane).

This is a sample of the best images of Pluto I think have been released to the public so far.

The First Color Image: Pluto & Charon

Pluto & it's first moon Charon.
This is the first color image of Pluto and Charon (it’s neighboring first moon). It was taken by New Horizons on the 9th of April 2015. The image does not show much detail, however, New Horizons was still approaching Pluto at this point and was some 71 million miles away from the dwarf planet.
Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

Pluto's Heart

Pluto's Heart
Four images were combined to create a sharper view of Pluto. The images were taken 280,000 miles from the surface of Pluto, and before New Horizons closest approach. The large, lighter shape on the lower part of the surface is often referred to as Pluto’s Heart. This area is formally known as Tombaugh Regio (Tombaugh Region).
Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

A Mountain Range On Pluto

A Mountain Range On Pluto
This detailed image shows a recently discovered mountain range near the Tombaugh Regio mentioned above. The image was captured when New Horizons was 48,000 miles from the Pluto's surface. From this image, it is possible to make out features half a mile across.
Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

Pluto Backlight By The Sun

Pluto Backlight By The Sun
This atmospheric image shows a silhouette of Pluto, backlit by the sun. It was taken at around 1.25 million miles from the planets surface and after it had completed its closest approach. At this point New Horizons is travelling even further into space...
Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

Back To Top

My Interests

General

Personal

This Site

Close Menu