时间:2025-05-16 23:14:39 来源:网络整理编辑:百科
The legendary New Horizons spacecraft has sent back the most detailed image yet of MU69 — the
The legendary New Horizons spacecraft has sent back the most detailed image yet of MU69 — the most distant object a human spacecraft has ever explored.
At some four billion miles from Earth, and one billion miles past Pluto, MU69 (which also goes by "Ultima Thule") has been an object of mystery since its discovery in 2014. But New Horizons finally swooped by the distant object just after the 2019 New Year, uncovering a frozen, snowman-shaped world, composed of two roundish "lobes" that have been stuck together.
"This new image is starting to reveal differences in the geologic character of the two lobes of Ultima Thule, and is presenting us with new mysteries as well," said Alan Stern, principal investigator of the New Horizons mission, in a statement. The mission is is jointly managed by NASA, the Southwest Research Institute, and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.
"Over the next month there will be better color and better resolution images that we hope will help unravel the many mysteries of Ultima Thule," Stern added in his statement.
Tweet may have been deleted
Unlike previous images of MU69, this one clearly shows a deep, 4-mile wide depression on the smaller lobe, as well as a number of craters dotting the surface.
MU69 is a place of true scientific intrigue. It lies in a far-off group of objects, called the Kuiper Belt, that ring the solar system. Temperatures here approach absolute zero (minus 460 degrees Fahrenheit), which is as cold as it gets. Scientists suspect that these ancient objects have been preserved in relatively pristine condition since the beginnings of the still-forming solar system, some 4 billion years ago.
SEE ALSO:Queen rockstar unleashes badass space song about mysterious world of Ultima ThuleObserving MU69, then, is like witnessing our solar system origins, long before Earth became a habitable place.
"The Kuiper Belt is just a scientific wonderland," Stern said just days before New Horizons sent back its first images.
“We've never, in the history of spaceflight, gone to a target that we know less about," Stern added.
New Horizons beamed back these images on January 18 and 19. At billions of miles away, it takes around 6 hours for the data to arrive back on Earth.
Meanwhile, the New Horizons spacecraft continues to hurtle deep into the outer realms of the solar system, at 31,500 mph.
Xiaomi accused of copying again, this time by Jawbone2025-05-16 23:08
意甲之戰!豪取9連勝狀態愈佳的那不勒斯此戰會與冷門擦邊?2025-05-16 22:55
意甲 佛羅倫薩VS薩索洛,英足總杯 伯恩茅斯VS伯恩利2025-05-16 22:23
原創 1.30賽事分析: 英足總杯 西漢姆聯 西甲 比利亞雷亞爾2025-05-16 22:22
Man stumbles upon his phone background in real life2025-05-16 22:06
【年度評選】2022年國際足球聯合會獎項匯總 梅西當選世界足球先生阿根廷包攬三大獎(梅西連續16年入選年度最佳陣容創曆史紀錄)(fifa2021梅西數據)2025-05-16 21:41
克萊23+8利拉德25分受困犯規 勇士23分大逆轉擊退開拓者(fifa19阿根廷國家隊)2025-05-16 21:31
(體育·國際足球)“紅”“藍”爭冠格局不變——20222025-05-16 21:14
The U.S. will no longer have the final say on internet domain names2025-05-16 21:10
北京時間2023年2月28日【專欄】英足總杯 :富勒姆vs利茲聯2025-05-16 20:40
This app is giving streaming TV news a second try2025-05-16 23:01
今日賽事:英足總杯(曼聯vs埃弗頓)2025-05-16 22:36
原創 3/1周三足球賽事:英超2串賽事解析,勝負、比分、總進球預測2025-05-16 22:29
原創 賽事分享意甲:薩勒尼塔納 VS AC米蘭2025-05-16 22:19
U.S. government issues warning on McDonald's recalled wearable devices2025-05-16 22:18
今日賽事 :英超(曼聯vs利茲聯)2025-05-16 22:12
今日賽事:英超(切爾西vs曼城)2025-05-16 22:03
奈美說英超;西漢姆聯能否跑出“森林”?利物浦打破“水晶宮”2025-05-16 21:42
Tyler, the Creator helped Frank Ocean celebrate 'Blonde' release in a delicious way2025-05-16 21:35
克雷莫納vs羅馬 :周二意甲賽事預測串關推薦2025-05-16 20:37