Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2026 September 6
     [2]The large sphere is pictured with different color regions on its
   surface. Irregularly shaped parts of tan, white, and brown. Please see
               the explanation for more detailed information.

                           Pluto in Enhanced Color
       Image Credit: [3]NASA, [4]Johns Hopkins Univ./APL, [5]Southwest
                               Research Inst.

   Explanation: [6]Pluto is more colorful than we can see. Color data and
   high-resolution images of our Solar System's most famous [7]dwarf
   planet, taken by the robotic [8]New Horizons spacecraft during its
   [9]flyby in 2015 July, have been digitally combined to give an
   [10]enhanced-color view of this ancient world sporting an
   [11]unexpectedly young surface. The [12]featured enhanced color image
   is not only [13]esthetically pretty but scientifically useful, making
   surface regions of differing chemical composition visually distinct.
   For example, the light-colored heart-shaped [14]Tombaugh Regio on the
   lower right is clearly shown here to be divisible into two regions that
   are [15]geologically different, with the leftmost lobe, [16]Sputnik
   Planitia, also appearing unusually smooth. After Pluto, New Horizons
   continued on, shooting [17]past asteroid Arrokoth in 2019 with enough
   speed to escape our [18]Solar [19]System completely.

                      Tomorrow's picture: dusty pelican
     __________________________________________________________________

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     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [31]Robert Nemiroff ([32]MTU) & [33]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([34]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [35]Specific rights apply.
            [36]NASA Web Privacy, [37]Accessibility, [38]Notices;
                A service of: [39]ASD at [40]NASA / [41]GSFC,
                         [42]NASA Science Activation
                           & [43]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2609/PlutoEnhancedHiRes_NewHorizons_5000.jpg
   3. https://www.nasa.gov/
   4. https://www.jhuapl.edu/
   5. https://www.swri.org/
   6. https://science.nasa.gov/dwarf-planets/pluto/
   7. https://science.nasa.gov/dwarf-planets/
   8. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/new-horizons/
   9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150714.html
  10. https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/rich-color-variations-of-pluto/
  11. https://www.reddit.com/r/cats/comments/lnfbzm/dear_smile_please_like_me/#lightbox
  12. https://science.nasa.gov/photojournal/the-rich-color-variations-of-pluto/
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130401.html
  14. https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia19842-a-mountain-range-within-plutos-heart/
  15. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7yXXCSR3_UB12gNWETiygA
  16. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27905411/
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap191118.html
  18. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/solar-system-facts/
  19. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/menu/solar-system/
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260905.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  24. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  26. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  29. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260906
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260907.html
  31. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/department/faculty/nemiroff/
  32. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/
  33. https://inspirehep.net/authors/1073087
  34. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  35. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  36. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  37. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  39. https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/astrophysics/
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  42. https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/
  43. http://www.mtu.edu/