Page 30 - AAA - july 15,2015
P. 30
A28
SCIENCEWednesday 15 July 2015
Spotlight shining on Pluto at cold outskirts of solar system
MARCIA DUNN Tombaugh died at age 90 on Pluto, it looks as though This July 13, 2015 image provided by NASA shows Pluto, seen
AP Aerospace Writer in 1997, nine years before it would be dawn or dusk from the New Horizons spacecraft. The United States is now the
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida New Horizons took flight. A on Earth. only nation to visit every single planet in the solar system..
(AP) — Pluto’s tiny, icy bit of his ashes is on board. It takes 248 years for Pluto
world is getting major Both of Tombaugh’s two to orbit the sun. Thus, it’s Associated Press
attention for its first visit by children, now in their 70s, only made it about one-
a spacecraft, NASA’s New were at the New Horizons third of the way around American astronomer Horizons team hopes to go
Horizons. mission operations center the sun since its discovery after a smaller Kuiper Belt
Tuesday’s flyby — with the for Tuesday’s celebration. in 1930. Every so often, Gerard Kuiper, who object following the Pluto
closest approach being Neptune’s orbit exceeds flyby, provided a mission
the approximate distance FIVE MOONS Pluto’s, putting Neptune proposed a bevy of small extension is approved.q
between Seattle and Big moon Charon was slightly farther out.
Sydney, or New York and discovered in 1978, bodies beyond Neptune
Mumbai — is expected followed by little moons FIRST A PLANET, THEN IT’S
to open up new ground Nix and Hydra in 2005, NOT back in the 1950s. The New
on the last unexplored Kerberos in 2011 and Styx
planetary territory of our in 2012. The Hubble Space Pluto is the only planet to
solar system. Telescope revealed all four get kicked out of the solar
Here’s a rundown on Pluto, baby moons. Astronomers system club.
a 20th-century discovery stuck to underworld Just seven months after New
about to become the undertones when it came Horizons rocketed away
21st-century darling of to the names. from Cape Canaveral,
astronomers: New Horizons will hunt for Florida, in 2006, the
more moons, but at this International Astronomical
DISCOVERY point, they would have Union declassified Pluto
Pluto is the only planet (OK, to be pretty elusive. The as the ninth planet for
now former planet) in our Pluto empire, complete technical reasons. Instead,
solar system discovered by with six bodies, at least for it became a dwarf planet.
an American. Astronomer now, is like its own mini solar The decision left the solar
Clyde Tombaugh spotted system. system with eight full-
the dot in 1930. The name fledged planets, with
Pluto came from a British FORGET THE SUNGLASSES Mercury replacing Pluto as
schoolgirl, Venetia Burney, Pluto is so far from the sun the smallest.
then 11, based on the — between 2.8 billion and New Horizons scientists, as
mythological god of the 4.6 billion miles — that well as NASA’s leaders, are
underworld. twilight reigns. At high noon hoping the new pictures
will restore Pluto’s planet
status.
THE TWILIGHT ZONE
Pluto is the biggest object
in the icy Kuiper Belt,
also known as the third
zone after the inner rocky
planets and outer gaseous
giants.
The Kuiper Belt is full of
comets and other small
frosty objects. It’s named
after the late Dutch-
