10 Years On: NASA’s New Horizons Revealed Pluto’s Iconic Heart

Rapid Summary

• NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft captured the most accurate natural color image of Pluto on july 14, 2015.
• The image was processed using refined calibration from the spacecraft’s Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC), resulting in colors closer to what the human eye would perceive (true color).
• Prominent features of Pluto,such as its icy “heart,” Sputnik Planitia-rich in nitrogen and methane-are clearly visible.
• The image uses data exclusively from MVIC without incorporating inputs from other instruments onboard New Horizons.

Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute/Alex Parker

Indian Opinion Analysis

The release of Pluto’s natural color images by NASA highlights a critically important milestone in space exploration and showcases advancements in imaging technology over recent decades. While India has its own enterprising space programs through ISRO, such breakthroughs by international agencies emphasize cooperation opportunities for better understanding our universe through innovation-driven missions. Such achievements could inspire further investment into India’s planetary exploration ambitions,like Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan programs,pushing the boundaries for future interplanetary collaborations.

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