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greyl

(23,000 posts)
13. Not a crater, surprisingly.
Thu Jul 16, 2015, 12:53 AM
Jul 2015
Bill Nye: Lack of impact craters on Pluto 'a mystery...




Pluto’s Portrait From New Horizons: Ice Mountains and No Craters

...
A second surprise was that the dwarf planet’s surface was unmarred by craters.

“We have not yet found a single impact crater in this image,” Dr. Spencer said.

Collisions happen everywhere in the solar system. Planetary astronomers count craters to determine whether a surface is ancient, formed billions of years ago and then pockmarked by impact craters over the eons, or young, a smooth expanse that formed more recently, erasing the impact craters. Dr. Spencer said that the lack of craters suggested that this part of Pluto’s surface was less than 100 million years old, extremely young given that the solar system is 4.5 billion years old.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/16/science/pluto-flyby-photos-reveal-mountains.html

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0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

I see an asteroid crater, is that what you mean? uppityperson Jul 2015 #1
Don't be ridiculous jberryhill Jul 2015 #2
"Doing be ridiculous" as a reply in Creative Speculation that there might be a simple reason? uppityperson Jul 2015 #4
You gotta play by the rules in this group jberryhill Jul 2015 #5
Sorry, let me try again uppityperson Jul 2015 #14
Ahh... Hadn't considered that! jberryhill Jul 2015 #15
Same reason they faked the moon landing. Mercury in vaccines! uppityperson Jul 2015 #17
Not a crater, surprisingly. greyl Jul 2015 #13
Mystery solved by enhancing resolution jberryhill Jul 2015 #16
It is an Astrobleme Agnosticsherbet Jul 2015 #3
Good point jberryhill Jul 2015 #6
Now that you mention it, I dreamt last night that I was an immense, rugose cone... arcane1 Jul 2015 #7
LOL Agnosticsherbet Jul 2015 #8
Just found this Reter Jul 2015 #9
nah. sorry. don't see it. n/t wildbilln864 Jul 2015 #10
I'm stunned. jberryhill Jul 2015 #11
you'll be ok.... wildbilln864 Jul 2015 #12
Latest Discussions»Retired Forums»Creative Speculation»Anyone Else Notice The St...»Reply #13