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Planetary science discovery explains Pluto's formation


//science-technology.news-articles.net/content/2 .. cience-discovery-explains-pluto-s-formation.html
Published in Science and Technology on Monday, January 13th 2025 at 15:02 GMT by MSN   Print publication without navigation

  • Billions of years ago, in the icy outskirts of the solar system, a dramatic collision forged the unusual pairing of Pluto and its moon, Charon. This celestial dance defied expectations, birthing a binary system where two icy bodies orbit a shared center of gravity.

The article from MSN discusses a significant discovery in planetary science that sheds light on how Pluto, a dwarf planet in our solar system, was formed. Scientists have long been puzzled by Pluto's composition, which includes a high amount of nitrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide ices, unlike other objects in the Kuiper Belt. Recent research suggests that Pluto might have formed from a massive collision between two large Kuiper Belt objects, which could explain its unique characteristics. This collision theory posits that the impact not only created Pluto but also its largest moon, Charon, and possibly other smaller moons. The study, published in the journal Nature Astronomy, utilized advanced computer simulations to replicate the conditions of such an event, providing a plausible explanation for Pluto's formation and its distinct geological features observed by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft.

Read the Full MSN Article at:
[ https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/planetary-science-discovery-explains-pluto-s-formation/ar-BB1ro4FE ]

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