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Tombaugh Regio

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Tombaugh Regio
Photograph of the Heart, cropped from a full-disc view of Pluto by New Horizons.
Diameter1,590 km (990 mi)[1]
EponymClyde Tombaugh
Close-up photograph by New Horizons of Sputnik Planum, located in western Tombaugh Regio.

Tombaugh Regio, nicknamed The Heart after its shape,[3][4][5] is a prominent surface feature of the dwarf planet Pluto.[6][7][8] A large, light-colored region about 1,590 km (990 mi) across,[1]

The region was first identified in the initial image of Pluto returned after the New Horizons probe recovered from an anomaly that temporarily sent it into safe mode. NASA initially referred to it as a "heart" in reference to its overall shape.[9] On 15 July 2015, the region was named "Tombaugh Regio" by the New Horizons team in honor of astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, the discoverer of Pluto, regio being Latin for 'region'. Nevertheless, NASA continues to use the informal nickname "the Heart" to refer to the region. The approval of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) is required before the name "Tombaugh Regio" can become official.[10]

Subsequently, collected data indicated that each of the two lobes of the heart are distinct, adjacent geological features that nevertheless share a bright appearance. The left lobe of the heart is smoother than the right, and they are of slightly different colors.[11] Early speculation was that the left lobe may be a large impact crater filled with nitrogen snow. Bright spots within the region were initially speculated to be mountain peaks.[12] Photos, released on 15 July 2015, revealed 11,000-foot mountains made of water ice in the feature; they also revealed no craters in this same region, suggesting that at least parts of the 'heart' are less than 100 million years old and thus that Pluto is likely geologically active.[13]

The feature had been identified as a bright spot for six decades prior to the New Horizons flyby, although it was impossible to image it with enough resolution to determine its shape. Over these six decades the spot had been observed to be dimming.[14]

Some people find the feature also looks like the Disney character that shares the same name as the dwarf planet.[15][16][17] The Walt Disney Company acknowledged this perceived likeness in a short animation.[18][15]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Feltman, Rachel (8 July 2015). "New map of Pluto reveals a 'whale' and a 'donut'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  2. ^ citation
  3. ^ New data reveals that Pluto's heart is broken. Washington Post. 14 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  4. ^ Coming today: a close-up of Pluto's heart. New York Times. 15 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  5. ^ New Horizons spacecraft displays Pluto's big heart. NASA.gov. 14 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  6. ^ O'Kane, Sean (15 July 2015). "This is the first high resolution image of Pluto's surface". The Verge. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  7. ^ Coldewey, Devin (15 July 2015). "Latest New Horizons Photo Shows Close-Up of Pluto's Young Mountains". NBC News. Comcast. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  8. ^ The New York Times (15 July 2015). "New Horizons Reveals Ice Mountains on Pluto". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  9. ^ "NASA's New Horizons: A "Heart" from Pluto as Flyby Begins". NASA. 8 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  10. ^ Kelly Beatty (2015). "Pluto and Charon Dazzle with Diversity". Popular Mechanics. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  11. ^ Feltman, Rachel (14 July 2015). "New data reveals that Pluto's heart is broken". The Washington Post. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  12. ^ Achenbach, Joel (14 July 2015). "New Horizons reaches Pluto, sees complex terrain with 'great mounds'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  13. ^ Orwig, Jessica (15 July 2015). "The first insanely close-up photos of Pluto reveal water on its surface". Business Insider. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  14. ^ Crockett, Christopher (14 July 2015). "Mission to Pluto: Live coverage: Sitting and speculating". Science News. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  15. ^ a b Westfall, Mike (14 July 2015). "Does Pluto's bright spot look more like a heart or the Disney dog?". Bay News 9. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  16. ^ Newcomb, Alyssa (14 July 2015). "New Horizons Space Probe: Pluto Gets the Meme Treatment". ABC News. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  17. ^ "The best Pluto memes. Well done, internet". BBC. 15 July 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  18. ^ Template:Twitter status
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