On approach in July 2015, the cameras on NASA's New Horizons spacecraft captured Pluto rotating over the course of a full "Pluto day." Image: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI
Ever since New Horizons completed its closest flyby of Pluto on July 14, NASA has been gracing us plebeians with the most stunning Pluto porn that a $700 million mission can buy. From psychedelic portraits to stunning landscapes, each photo seems to be an active effort to surpass the awesomeness of the one that came before it.Continuing with this tradition, NASA released two photos on Friday which detail a full day (the equivalent of 6.4 Earth days) on Pluto and the largest of her five moons, Charon.The above image of Pluto is actually a composite image derived from several photos taken by New Horizons between July 7 and July 13, as it narrowed its gap with the minor planet from 5 million to 400,000 miles. The image in the 3 o'clock position was the one taken from the furthest distance and is thus the lowest in resolution. The lumps at the bottom of Pluto that can be seen on Pluto at around 12 o'clock are the results of combining several of the best photos to create one composite image.The closest image is that in the 6 o'clock position, which prominently features Pluto's heart-shaped Tombaugh regio, a vast icy plane that provides evidence of geological activity on Pluto.
Like Pluto, Charon also has a rotation period of 6.4 Earth days, and the above photos were taken as New Horizons closed the 6.4 million mile gap separating it from the largest of Pluto's moons over the course of July 7-13. In the case of Charon, the image taken from farthest away is found at the 9 o'clock position, whereas the highest resolution image is at the 12 o'clock position.
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