A Cosmic Marvel: Charon Up Close!
This breathtaking image showcases Charon, the largest of Pluto’s five moons. Observed by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft during its historic flyby in 2015, Charon’s rugged terrain, deep canyons, and varied surface colors reveal a complex geological history.
Notable Features:
• Canyons: Some of Charon’s canyons are deeper than the Grand Canyon on Earth!
• Varied Terrain: The northern hemisphere, known as Mordor Macula, is darker than the southern part, suggesting differences in the moon’s crust and materials.
• Impact Craters: These are a testament to the many space objects that have collided with Charon over billions of years.
Charon orbits Pluto at a distance so close that they are often considered a binary system. Their mutual gravitational pull ensures that they always face each other with the same side.
@science
