In 1930, the planet Pluto was discovered by Clyde Tombaugh, making it the ninth planet in our solar system. As research went on, Pluto went from recognized planet to dwarf planet in 2006, taking it back down to eight planets in our solar system. (Poor Pluto.)
In 2006 the New Horizons spacecraft launched, beginning it's long journey out to Pluto.
To make it easier to grasp how long this spacecraft has been traveling, here are a few factoids about the day it left almost 10 years ago. On January 19, 2006:
1. There were no iPhones.
2. Justin Bieber was still on YouTube.
3. Taylor Swift had just released her first album.
4. Netflix was a mail DVD service ONLY
... So yes, a lot has changed since then!
On Tuesday, July 14, the New Horizons spacecraft finally flew by Pluto after its nine-year, 3 billion-mile journey. The flyby is the closest scientists have ever gotten to Pluto — 7,750 miles from the surface, just about the distance from New York to Mumbai. This now means that every planet in our system was been visited, according to Charlie Bolden, NASA administrator. Bolden states that the New Horizons mission will help bring us closer to putting people on Mars.
These new, close-up images have now shown us that Pluto has a range of mountains that reach as high as 11,000 feet above its surface.The flyby has revealed to us Pluto's icy surface. Alan Stern, New Horizons principal investigator, compared these mountains to our very own Rocky Mountains. Stern has also said that the steep slopes of Pluto's mountains means that the bedrock must be made from water or ice, leading scientists to believe that Pluto could possibly have a supply of water.
Pluto has its own five known moons and on July 13, we got our first close up of Charon. Charon has 600 miles of cliffs and troughs across its surface.
As usual the internet reacted hilariously, comparing Pluto to other things.
Pluto, Mickey Mouse's very own companion.
Kim's newest photoshoot.
And lastly ...
... a sloth.
From here, we can only imagine how much more we can do with the power of science. In nine years from now, who knows what else we'll discover. But for now, keep doing you, Pluto.
