Science
Related: About this forumIs That a Frozen Lake on Pluto?
Source: National Geographic
A Blog by Nadia Drake
Is That a Frozen Lake on Pluto?
POSTED MON, 03/21/2016
THE WOODLANDS, Texas
Liquids may have pooled and flowed on Plutos surface within the last million years and they may do so again, scientists reported March 21 at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference.
Though not a given, the presence of liquids on Pluto at any point is puzzling, given that average temperatures on the frozen world hover around -400 Fahrenheit. But, as NASAs New Horizons team is learning, Pluto is anything but dead or predictable.
What the data revealed did not surprise us, says NASAs Jim Green. It shocked us.
Two lines of evidence suggest the dwarf worlds surface may occasionally be just a little bit wetter than it is now. One is based on how the planets atmospheric pressure changes during Plutos 248-year orbit, and the other comes from recent images sent home by the New Horizons spacecraft, which flew by Pluto in July 2015.
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Read more: http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2016/03/21/is-that-a-frozen-lake-on-pluto/
JonathanRackham
(1,604 posts)Methane, nitrogen, CO2...........?
AgerolanAmerican
(1,000 posts)but the headline made me immediately think "... or are you just happy to see me?"
Blue Owl
(50,238 posts)n/t
arcane1
(38,613 posts)Surely
lastlib
(23,140 posts)Don't pay the Ferryman!
Beware that hooded old man at the rudder!
N_E_1 for Tennis
(9,661 posts)The freaking view would be awesome!