For years, we've been looking at mere artists renditions of the planet, but today we finally have an image that shows us what it really looks like.
The New Horizons spacecraft launched in January of 2006, and since then it has been capturing some spectacular images of our solar system. However, today, it made history as it sent back the most detailed images of Pluto that mankind has ever seen.
While the Hubble telescope did capture the planet/icy dwarf/now planet again (sort of?) a while back, but with the Horizons craft passing within 12,500 kilometres of Pluto, it was able to capture an image in stunning detail of the planet that sits at the edge of the galactic neighbourhood we call home.
On the left is the best image we had of Pluto before. Now we have this. Just astonishing. #PlutoFlyby pic.twitter.com/rA1Ane3oVt
— Kaya Burgess (@kayaburgess) July 14, 2015
Pic via NASA
Those artist's impressions were way off.
Via FTW
