Astronomers who have studied the origin of Pluto have come up with
the conclusion that the cataclysm occurred 4,000 million years ago.
Pluto is a planet (dwarf) quite rare, lying revolving around the sun and having a -Caronte- moon almost as big as him. It seems that these oddities have their origin in a major clash with one or more celestial bodies but until Pluto and its satellites were explored for the first time about last year by the New Horizons probe, one could speculate about the time the system formed.
Now, astronomers are mapping it from the huge amount of data sent by the seven spacecraft instruments have concluded that the cataclysm occurred at the dawn of the solar system 4,000 million years ago.
Since then, Pluto goes around the Sun with its north-south axis tilted 120 degrees to the plane of its orbit (this angle on Earth is only 23 degrees) and both Charon and its four satellites, much smaller, show equally the consequences of this impact.
The team of New Horizons, the ship came just 12,500 kilometers from the surface of Pluto on July 14, 2015 and since then travels to the Kuiper belt, has presented its first scientific results in the journal Science and a congress Houston (United States). Alan Stern, director of the mission, recalled that it was a reconnaissance trip and raises as many questions as answers are getting.
The surface never before seen in detail, is much more diverse and geologically active than expected and makes you wonder how a small planet in such a remote area can keep active processes over billions of years.
Charon has also proved to have many different geological features, with signs of tectonic activity. The study of hundreds of craters on the surface of both is what has led to date about when the impact occurred, Kelsi Singer explains the expert.
Pluto is a planet (dwarf) quite rare, lying revolving around the sun and having a -Caronte- moon almost as big as him. It seems that these oddities have their origin in a major clash with one or more celestial bodies but until Pluto and its satellites were explored for the first time about last year by the New Horizons probe, one could speculate about the time the system formed.
Now, astronomers are mapping it from the huge amount of data sent by the seven spacecraft instruments have concluded that the cataclysm occurred at the dawn of the solar system 4,000 million years ago.
Since then, Pluto goes around the Sun with its north-south axis tilted 120 degrees to the plane of its orbit (this angle on Earth is only 23 degrees) and both Charon and its four satellites, much smaller, show equally the consequences of this impact.
The team of New Horizons, the ship came just 12,500 kilometers from the surface of Pluto on July 14, 2015 and since then travels to the Kuiper belt, has presented its first scientific results in the journal Science and a congress Houston (United States). Alan Stern, director of the mission, recalled that it was a reconnaissance trip and raises as many questions as answers are getting.
The surface never before seen in detail, is much more diverse and geologically active than expected and makes you wonder how a small planet in such a remote area can keep active processes over billions of years.
Charon has also proved to have many different geological features, with signs of tectonic activity. The study of hundreds of craters on the surface of both is what has led to date about when the impact occurred, Kelsi Singer explains the expert.
Continues at http://www.publico.es/ciencias/origen-pluton-choque-inimaginable-000.html