X-ray Detection Sheds New Light on Pluto

Chandra_637_1024

chandra_637 September 14th, 2016

Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/JHUAPL/R.McNutt et al; Optical: NASA/JHUAPL

The first detection of Pluto in X-rays has been made using Chandra in conjunction with observations from the New Horizon spacecraft as it approached and then flew by the dwarf planet in 2015. During four observations, Chandra detected low-energy X-rays from the small planet due to interactions between Pluto's atmosphere and a wind of particles from the Sun. The main panel in this graphic is an optical image taken from New Horizons on its approach to Pluto, while the inset shows an image of Pluto in X-rays from Chandra (not to the same scale). This result offers new insight into the environment surrounding the largest and best-known object in the Solar System's outermost regions.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2016/pluto/

Curator: Chandra X-ray Observatory, Cambridge, MA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html

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Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Pluto
Subject - Solar System
Planet > Type > Terrestrial

Distance

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue Chandra (ACIS) X-ray (X-ray) 826.7 pm
Spectrum_xray1
Blue
Chandra_637_1280
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ID
637
Subject Category
A.1.1.1  
Subject Name
Pluto
Credits
X-ray: NASA/CXC/JHUAPL/R.McNutt et al; Optical: NASA/JHUAPL
Release Date
2016-09-14
Lightyears
0.0005
Redshift
0.0005
Reference Url
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2016/pluto/
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Chandra
Instrument
ACIS
Color Assignment
Blue
Band
X-ray
Bandpass
X-ray
Central Wavelength
0.8267
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
Equinox
Reference Value
Reference Dimension
Reference Pixel
Scale
Rotation
Coordinate System Projection:
Quality
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Chandra X-ray Observatory
URL
http://chandra.harvard.edu
Name
Chandra X-ray Observatory Center
Email
cxcpub@cfa.harvard.edu
Telephone
617.496.7941
Address
60 Garden St.
City
Cambridge
State/Province
MA
Postal Code
02138
Country
USA
Rights
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html
Publisher
Chandra X-ray Observatory Center
Publisher ID
chandra
Resource ID
pluto_xray.tif
Metadata Date
2016-09-14T16:17:37-04:00
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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There is no distance meta data in this image.

 

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