Perplexing sword-like columns of space ice that rise up through Pluto’s Tartarus Dorsa mountains may finally have been explained by NASA – two years after the weird formations were first observed in detail. The ‘ice blades’ are the result of solid methane ‘evaporation,’ an erosion process similar to that witnessed in the peaks of Chile. A dwarf planet located far from our sun, Pluto is... 

Latest images released by NASA’s New Horizons probe show Pluto’s most identifiable feature has snow on its peaks. Scientists say what they see as snow, is actually frozen methane condensed on Pluto’s “Cthulhu” (pronounced kuh-THU-lu) peaks. “Cthulhu” is one of the most notable on the tiny world, stretching nearly halfway around Pluto’s equator. Its appearance is characterized... 

NASA astronomers have found a second mountain range on Pluto. Scientists are puzzled over the distinctive difference with the first mountainous region discovered on the distant planet. The New Horizons mission said the mountains had been found on the lower-left ledge of Pluto’s heart-shaped Tombaugh Regio area. The mountains are from 1 to 1.5 kilometers high and are comparable with the Appalachian... 

Pluto’s moon Charon The US space agency has revealed an image of Pluto’s largest moon Charon which has a vast dark area on its north pole. The enigmatic zone was immediately dubbed by Tolkien-inspired scientists as ‘Mordor’. “In Charon’s north polar region, a dark marking prominent in New Horizons’ approach images is now seen to have a diffuse boundary, suggesting it is a thin deposit... 

As NASA’s Pluto probe nears the planet, it managed to grab some spectacular photos of its small moons for the first time. The New Horizons spacecraft is now in position to view the entire Pluto family. “Detecting these tiny moons from a distance of more than 55 million miles is amazing, and a credit to the team that built our LORRI long-range camera and John Spencer’s team of moon and ring hunters,”... 

This artist’s concept obtained December 1, 2014 courtesy of NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute (JHUAPL/SwRI), shows the New Horizons spacecraft as it approaches Pluto and its three moons in summer 2015. The New Horizons spacecraft has come out of hibernation mode in anticipation of rendezvous with Pluto and its moons. The spacecraft will be exploring...