NASA releases first close-up image of gorgeous Pluto

Finally, NASA’s New Horizons probe has sent back first close-up photo of the Pluto’s surface. The probe traveled over 3 billion miles in more than 9 years before it could capture this image of Pluto.

NASA posted an image on Instagram with a note saying, “This stunning image of the dwarf planet was captured from New Horizons at about 4 p.m. EDT on July 13, about 16 hours before the moment of closest approach. The spacecraft was 476,000 miles (766,000 kilometers) from the surface.”

The probe was launched in 2006 and it will be passing by Pluto on Tuesday. The probe will be at a distance of 12,500 kilometers from the surface of the Pluto. This will be the first time that a probe would get so close to the dwarf planet.

The probe is travelling at a speed of 14 kilometers per second or 31,000 miles per hour. The probe had been sending images regularly back to earth, however, it was never so close to dwarf planet.

NASA will be releasing more high resolution pictures on Instagram soon.

Via: Instagram