NASA researchers have discovered a potential cryovolcano on Pluto named Wright Mons, which erupts a frozen mixture of water, nitrogen, ammonia and other matter. The volcano is about 2.5km high and 4km wide, and a second potential cryovolcano has also been spotted nearby. Other interesting facts about Pluto include its extremely cold surface temperature, smaller size than Earth’s moon, and retrograde rotation.
Volcanoes aren’t uncommon in our Solar System — many of Jupiter’s moons have them, too — but there’s at least one volcano on Pluto that might be particularly unique. While they don’t yet know all the cold, hard facts, NASA researchers say the dwarf planet informally named Wright Mons appears to be a cryovolcano. They theorized that it erupts a frozen mixture of water, nitrogen, ammonia and other matter, instead of the molten lava we know here on Earth. These conjectures are based on three-dimensional topographic images sent to Earth by the New Horizons spacecraft. According to the images, Wright Mons, named in honor of the Wright brothers, is about 2.5km high and 4km wide. Better yet, it’s not alone. A second potential cryovolcano has been spotted not far from Wright Mons, near Pluto’s south pole, creating a rather chilling double feature.
Interesting facts about Pluto:
The surface temperature on Pluto is about -375 degrees F (-225 degrees C), or about three times colder than Antarctica has ever been.
Pluto is smaller than Earth’s moon, but it may also contain more water than is found on Earth, in the form of ice.
On Pluto, the Sun rises in the west and sets in the east (due to its retrograde rotation), and a single day lasts 153.3 hours.
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