Published , Modified Abstract on New Ultima Thule Discoveries from NASA's New Horizons Original source
New Ultima Thule Discoveries from NASA's New Horizons
Introduction
On January 1, 2019, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flew by Ultima Thule, a small Kuiper Belt object located over 4 billion miles away from Earth. Since then, scientists have been analyzing the data and images sent back by the spacecraft to learn more about this mysterious object. In this article, we will discuss the latest discoveries made by NASA's New Horizons mission regarding Ultima Thule.
What is Ultima Thule?
Ultima Thule is a small Kuiper Belt object located in the outer reaches of our solar system. It is approximately 22 miles long and is made up of two distinct lobes that are joined together. The object was first discovered in 2014 by the Hubble Space Telescope and was later chosen as the target for NASA's New Horizons mission.
The Flyby
On January 1, 2019, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flew by Ultima Thule at a distance of just 2,200 miles. This was the farthest flyby in history and provided scientists with an unprecedented opportunity to study this distant object up close.
Discoveries
Shape
One of the most surprising discoveries made by the New Horizons mission was the shape of Ultima Thule. Scientists had expected it to be a simple, spherical object but instead found that it was made up of two distinct lobes that were joined together. The larger lobe is nicknamed "Ultima" and is approximately 13 miles long, while the smaller lobe is nicknamed "Thule" and is approximately 9 miles long.
Composition
Another important discovery made by the New Horizons mission was the composition of Ultima Thule. Scientists had expected it to be made up of ice and rock, but instead found that it was primarily composed of ice. This suggests that Ultima Thule may have formed in a different part of the solar system than previously thought.
Surface Features
The images sent back by the New Horizons spacecraft also revealed a number of interesting surface features on Ultima Thule. These include hills, troughs, and impact craters. Scientists are still studying these features to learn more about the history and formation of this distant object.
Rotation
Finally, the New Horizons mission also provided scientists with valuable information about the rotation of Ultima Thule. By studying the way that light reflects off the object's surface, scientists were able to determine that it rotates once every 15 hours.
Conclusion
The New Horizons mission has provided scientists with an unprecedented opportunity to study Ultima Thule up close. The discoveries made by this mission have challenged our previous assumptions about this distant object and have opened up new avenues for research in the future.
FAQs
1. What is Ultima Thule?
Ultima Thule is a small Kuiper Belt object located in the outer reaches of our solar system.
2. What did NASA's New Horizons mission discover about Ultima Thule?
The New Horizons mission discovered that Ultima Thule is made up of two distinct lobes, primarily composed of ice, and has a number of interesting surface features.
3. How far away is Ultima Thule from Earth?
Ultima Thule is located over 4 billion miles away from Earth.
4. How did scientists study Ultima Thule?
Scientists studied Ultima Thule using data and images sent back by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft during its flyby on January 1, 2019.
5. What does the discovery of Ultima Thule tell us about our solar system?
The discovery of Ultima Thule suggests that our solar system may be more complex than previously thought and opens up new avenues for research in the future.
This abstract is presented as an informational news item only and has not been reviewed by a subject matter professional. This abstract should not be considered medical advice. This abstract might have been generated by an artificial intelligence program. See TOS for details.