APOD: 2026 September 6 – Pluto in Enhanced Color
The post APOD: 2026 September 6 – Pluto in Enhanced Color appeared first on NASA Science .
Today’s Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) showcases Pluto in enhanced color, revealing the dwarf planet’s vibrant hues that are invisible to the human eye. This enhanced color image was captured by the New Horizons spacecraft during its historic flyby of Pluto in July 2015. The sophisticated image processing brings out subtle differences in surface composition, allowing scientists to visually distinguish between distinct regions on the ancient world.
The resulting enhanced color image offers a striking aesthetic appeal while providing valuable scientific insights. One prominent feature, the light-colored heart-shaped Tombaugh Regio, is clearly divided into two geologically different lobes. The leftmost lobe, Sputnik Planitia, is further distinguished by its unusually smooth appearance compared to the surrounding terrain.
After its groundbreaking exploration of Pluto, New Horizons proceeded to rendezvous with asteroid Arrokoth in 2019, achieving enough velocity to completely escape our Solar System. The APOD archive, maintained by NASA, has recently migrated from the domain apod.nasa.gov to science.nasa.gov/apod, marking an update in its online home.
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