Pluto is covered with a lot of water ice - CNN

Pluto is covered in a lot of frozen water

By Jareen Imam, CNN

Updated 2121 GMT (0521 HKT) January 30, 2016

Have 3D glasses? You can view these stereo images that reveal the distance of the stars from their backgrounds, as seen by New Horizons. On the left is Proxima Centauri and on the right is Wolf 359.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
Have 3D glasses? You can view these stereo images that reveal the distance of the stars from their backgrounds, as seen by New Horizons. On the left is Proxima Centauri and on the right is Wolf 359.
Hide Caption
1 of 46
The newly renamed object Arrokoth, once known as Ultima Thule, is ultrared, smooth and covered in organic complex molecules. New Horizons flew past the distant Kuiper Belt Object on January 1, 2019.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
The newly renamed object Arrokoth, once known as Ultima Thule, is ultrared, smooth and covered in organic complex molecules. New Horizons flew past the distant Kuiper Belt Object on January 1, 2019.
Hide Caption
2 of 46
New Horizons images revealed that craters on Pluto and Charon were made by small Kuiper Belt objects.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
New Horizons images revealed that craters on Pluto and Charon were made by small Kuiper Belt objects.
Hide Caption
3 of 46
When NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flew past Pluto in July 2015, it captured this image of the major mountain ranges where it meets a vast icy plain called Sputnik Planitia. The ridges in these photos have now been identified as dunes made of solid methane ice grains.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
When NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flew past Pluto in July 2015, it captured this image of the major mountain ranges where it meets a vast icy plain called Sputnik Planitia. The ridges in these photos have now been identified as dunes made of solid methane ice grains.
Hide Caption
4 of 46
New Horizons photographed what scientists are calling "bladed" terrain near the heart-shaped region of the dwarf planet. This 3-D image was created using two images taken about 14 minutes apart on July 14. The first image was snapped about 16,000 miles (25,000 kilometers) from Pluto and the second was taken when the spacecraft was 10,000 miles (about 17,000 kilometers) away. Break out your 3-D glasses for the best view.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
New Horizons photographed what scientists are calling "bladed" terrain near the heart-shaped region of the dwarf planet. This 3-D image was created using two images taken about 14 minutes apart on July 14. The first image was snapped about 16,000 miles (25,000 kilometers) from Pluto and the second was taken when the spacecraft was 10,000 miles (about 17,000 kilometers) away. Break out your 3-D glasses for the best view.
Hide Caption
5 of 46
The New Horizons team has discovered a chain of exotic mountains that are covered in methane snow on Pluto. NASA released an image of the snow-capped mountains stretching across the dark expanse of Cthulhu on March 3.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
The New Horizons team has discovered a chain of exotic mountains that are covered in methane snow on Pluto. NASA released an image of the snow-capped mountains stretching across the dark expanse of Cthulhu on March 3.
Hide Caption
6 of 46
NASA released a photo on February 4, 2015, of what it suspects is an image of floating hills on Pluto's surface. The hills are made of water ice and are suspended above a sea of nitrogen.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
NASA released a photo on February 4, 2015, of what it suspects is an image of floating hills on Pluto's surface. The hills are made of water ice and are suspended above a sea of nitrogen.
Hide Caption
7 of 46
This image made in infrared light shows water ice is abundant on Pluto's surface. The image was created using two scans of Pluto made by the New Horizons spacecraft on July 14, when the probe was about 67,000 miles (108,000 kilometers) above Pluto.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
This image made in infrared light shows water ice is abundant on Pluto's surface. The image was created using two scans of Pluto made by the New Horizons spacecraft on July 14, when the probe was about 67,000 miles (108,000 kilometers) above Pluto.
Hide Caption
8 of 46
This image shows the layered interior walls of the planet's many craters. According to NASA, "layers in geology usually mean an important change in composition or event." However, NASA says the New Horizons team members do not know if they are seeing local, regional or global layering.<br />Most of the craters seen here lie within the 155-mile (250-kilometer)-wide Burney Basin. <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/plutos-layered-craters-and-icy-plains" target="_blank">Learn more at NASA's website.</a>
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
This image shows the layered interior walls of the planet's many craters. According to NASA, "layers in geology usually mean an important change in composition or event." However, NASA says the New Horizons team members do not know if they are seeing local, regional or global layering.
Most of the craters seen here lie within the 155-mile (250-kilometer)-wide Burney Basin. Learn more at NASA's website.
Hide Caption
9 of 46
This image shows how erosion and faulting has sculpted Pluto's icy crust into rugged badlands. The prominent 1.2-mile-high cliff at the top is part of a great canyon system that stretches for hundreds of miles across Pluto's northern hemisphere, NASA says. <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/pluto-s-badlands" target="_blank">Learn more at NASA.gov.</a>
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
This image shows how erosion and faulting has sculpted Pluto's icy crust into rugged badlands. The prominent 1.2-mile-high cliff at the top is part of a great canyon system that stretches for hundreds of miles across Pluto's northern hemisphere, NASA says. Learn more at NASA.gov.
Hide Caption
10 of 46
<a href="http://www.nasa.gov/feature/pluto-s-big-moon-charon-reveals-a-colorful-and-violent-history" target="_blank">Pluto's largest moon, Charon</a>, in seen in enhanced color in this image taken by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft. The space probe took the image just before it made its closest approach on July 14. The image combines blue, red and infrared images to best highlight the moon's surface features. Charon is 754 miles (1,214 kilometers) across. The image was released on October 1.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
Pluto's largest moon, Charon, in seen in enhanced color in this image taken by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft. The space probe took the image just before it made its closest approach on July 14. The image combines blue, red and infrared images to best highlight the moon's surface features. Charon is 754 miles (1,214 kilometers) across. The image was released on October 1.
Hide Caption
11 of 46
Images from two instruments on New Horizons are combined in this photo to <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/feature/pluto-s-big-moon-charon-reveals-a-colorful-and-violent-history" target="_blank">show Charon's cratered uplands</a> at the top and a series of canyons. The bottom of the image shows rolling plains.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
Images from two instruments on New Horizons are combined in this photo to show Charon's cratered uplands at the top and a series of canyons. The bottom of the image shows rolling plains.
Hide Caption
12 of 46
<a href="http://www.nasa.gov/feature/pluto-s-big-moon-charon-reveals-a-colorful-and-violent-history" target="_blank">This composite of enhanced color images</a> shows the striking differences between Pluto, lower right, and its largest moon, Charon. NASA says the color and brightness of the two worlds have been processed identically to allow for direct comparison. Pluto and Charon are shown with approximately correct relative sizes, but their true separation is not to scale.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
This composite of enhanced color images shows the striking differences between Pluto, lower right, and its largest moon, Charon. NASA says the color and brightness of the two worlds have been processed identically to allow for direct comparison. Pluto and Charon are shown with approximately correct relative sizes, but their true separation is not to scale.
Hide Caption
13 of 46
These photos show Pluto's variety of textures, including what NASA calls "rounded and bizarrely textured mountains." The mountains are informally called the Tartarus Dorsa. This image shows about 330 miles (530 kilometers) of Pluto's terrain. It combines blue, red and infrared images taken by the space probe's Ralph/Multispectral Visual Imaging Camera. The images were taken on July 14, during the probe's flyby. They were released on September 24.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
These photos show Pluto's variety of textures, including what NASA calls "rounded and bizarrely textured mountains." The mountains are informally called the Tartarus Dorsa. This image shows about 330 miles (530 kilometers) of Pluto's terrain. It combines blue, red and infrared images taken by the space probe's Ralph/Multispectral Visual Imaging Camera. The images were taken on July 14, during the probe's flyby. They were released on September 24.
Hide Caption
14 of 46
The photos taken by New Horizons just before its closest approach to Pluto on July 14 are the sharpest images to date of Pluto's varied terrain. This high-resolution image reveals details of two ice mountains. The image spans 75 miles (120 kilometers) of Pluto's surface.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
The photos taken by New Horizons just before its closest approach to Pluto on July 14 are the sharpest images to date of Pluto's varied terrain. This high-resolution image reveals details of two ice mountains. The image spans 75 miles (120 kilometers) of Pluto's surface.
Hide Caption
15 of 46
This image of the surface of Pluto was taken just 15 minutes after NASA's New Horizon spacecraft made its closest approach to the icy planet on July 14. As it looked toward the Sun, the spacecraft's camera captured more than dozen thin layers of haze in Pluto's atmosphere, at least 60 miles (100 kilometers) above the surface. The photo was downlinked to Earth on September 13.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
This image of the surface of Pluto was taken just 15 minutes after NASA's New Horizon spacecraft made its closest approach to the icy planet on July 14. As it looked toward the Sun, the spacecraft's camera captured more than dozen thin layers of haze in Pluto's atmosphere, at least 60 miles (100 kilometers) above the surface. The photo was downlinked to Earth on September 13.
Hide Caption
16 of 46
This image of Pluto's icy and mountainous landscapes was taken from a distance of 11,000 miles (17,700 kilometers). "This image really makes you feel you are there, at Pluto, surveying the landscape for yourself," said New Horizons Principal Investigator Alan Stern of the Southwest Research Institute in Colorado.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
This image of Pluto's icy and mountainous landscapes was taken from a distance of 11,000 miles (17,700 kilometers). "This image really makes you feel you are there, at Pluto, surveying the landscape for yourself," said New Horizons Principal Investigator Alan Stern of the Southwest Research Institute in Colorado.
Hide Caption
17 of 46
This picture is a synthesis of new high-resolution images downlinked from New Horizons. The broad icy plains have been nicknamed Sputnik Planum. This image is from a perspective above Pluto's equatorial area. Astronomers began downlinking a data dump from the space craft over Labor Day weekend, September 5 to 7.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
This picture is a synthesis of new high-resolution images downlinked from New Horizons. The broad icy plains have been nicknamed Sputnik Planum. This image is from a perspective above Pluto's equatorial area. Astronomers began downlinking a data dump from the space craft over Labor Day weekend, September 5 to 7.
Hide Caption
18 of 46
Scientists say that what looks like mountains could be huge blocks of frozen water suspended in frozen nitrogen. On the new photos, taken on July 14 and released on September 10, a pixel is 400 meters (440 yards). New Horizons' closest pass by Pluto took it about 50,000 miles from the surface.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
Scientists say that what looks like mountains could be huge blocks of frozen water suspended in frozen nitrogen. On the new photos, taken on July 14 and released on September 10, a pixel is 400 meters (440 yards). New Horizons' closest pass by Pluto took it about 50,000 miles from the surface.
Hide Caption
19 of 46
Pluto's landscape has lots of variety: plains, mountains, craters and what looks like they might be dunes. The smallest details on the photos are about half a mile wide. The area with the craters is ancient, scientist say. The smooth frozen planes are relatively young.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
Pluto's landscape has lots of variety: plains, mountains, craters and what looks like they might be dunes. The smallest details on the photos are about half a mile wide. The area with the craters is ancient, scientist say. The smooth frozen planes are relatively young.
Hide Caption
20 of 46
Just before its closest approach to Pluto on July 14, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft snapped this photo of Charon, Pluto's largest moon. The photo was shot at a distance of 290,000 miles away. Charon's north pole region is markedly dark. This photo was released on September 10.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
Just before its closest approach to Pluto on July 14, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft snapped this photo of Charon, Pluto's largest moon. The photo was shot at a distance of 290,000 miles away. Charon's north pole region is markedly dark. This photo was released on September 10.
Hide Caption
21 of 46
This new image of Pluto is stunning planetary scientists. It shows the small world's atmosphere, backlit by the sun. NASA says the image reveals layers of haze that are several times higher than predicted. The photo was taken by the New Horizons spacecraft seven hours after its closest approach to Pluto on July 14. New Horizons was about 1.25 million miles from Pluto at the time.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
This new image of Pluto is stunning planetary scientists. It shows the small world's atmosphere, backlit by the sun. NASA says the image reveals layers of haze that are several times higher than predicted. The photo was taken by the New Horizons spacecraft seven hours after its closest approach to Pluto on July 14. New Horizons was about 1.25 million miles from Pluto at the time.
Hide Caption
22 of 46
Images taken of Pluto's heart-shaped feature, informally named Tombaugh Regio, reveal a "vast, craterless plain that appears to be no more than 100 million years old," NASA said July 17. The frozen region "is possibly still being shaped by geologic processes." NASA's New Horizons spacecraft was launched in 2006 and traveled 3 billion miles to the dwarf planet.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
Images taken of Pluto's heart-shaped feature, informally named Tombaugh Regio, reveal a "vast, craterless plain that appears to be no more than 100 million years old," NASA said July 17. The frozen region "is possibly still being shaped by geologic processes." NASA's New Horizons spacecraft was launched in 2006 and traveled 3 billion miles to the dwarf planet.
Hide Caption
23 of 46
Close-up images of a region near Pluto's equator revealed a giant surprise: a range of youthful mountains. NASA released the image on July 15.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
Close-up images of a region near Pluto's equator revealed a giant surprise: a range of youthful mountains. NASA released the image on July 15.
Hide Caption
24 of 46
Remarkable new details of Pluto's largest moon, Charon, are revealed in this image released on July 15.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
Remarkable new details of Pluto's largest moon, Charon, are revealed in this image released on July 15.
Hide Caption
25 of 46
The latest spectra analysis from New Horizons' Ralph instrument was released on July 15. It reveals an abundance of methane ice, but with striking differences from place to place across the frozen surface of Pluto.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
The latest spectra analysis from New Horizons' Ralph instrument was released on July 15. It reveals an abundance of methane ice, but with striking differences from place to place across the frozen surface of Pluto.
Hide Caption
26 of 46
NASA team members and guests count down to the spacecraft's approach to Pluto on July 14.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
NASA team members and guests count down to the spacecraft's approach to Pluto on July 14.
Hide Caption
27 of 46
This image of Pluto was captured by New Horizons on July 13, about 16 hours before the moment of closest approach. The spacecraft was 476,000 miles from Pluto's surface.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
This image of Pluto was captured by New Horizons on July 13, about 16 hours before the moment of closest approach. The spacecraft was 476,000 miles from Pluto's surface.
Hide Caption
28 of 46
The colors in this image of Pluto and Charon are exaggerated to make it easy to see their different features. (These are not the actual colors of Pluto and Charon, and the two bodies aren't really that close together in space.) This image was created on July 13, one day before New Horizons was to make its closest approach to Pluto.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
The colors in this image of Pluto and Charon are exaggerated to make it easy to see their different features. (These are not the actual colors of Pluto and Charon, and the two bodies aren't really that close together in space.) This image was created on July 13, one day before New Horizons was to make its closest approach to Pluto.
Hide Caption
29 of 46
This image of Pluto was captured by New Horizons on July 12. The spacecraft was 1.6 million miles from Pluto at the time.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
This image of Pluto was captured by New Horizons on July 12. The spacecraft was 1.6 million miles from Pluto at the time.
Hide Caption
30 of 46
New Horizons snapped this photo of Charon on July 12. It reveals a system of chasms larger than the Grand Canyon. The spacecraft was 1.6 million miles away when the image was taken.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
New Horizons snapped this photo of Charon on July 12. It reveals a system of chasms larger than the Grand Canyon. The spacecraft was 1.6 million miles away when the image was taken.
Hide Caption
31 of 46
New Horizons was about 3.7 million miles from Pluto and Charon when it took this image on July 8.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
New Horizons was about 3.7 million miles from Pluto and Charon when it took this image on July 8.
Hide Caption
32 of 46
Do you see a heart on Pluto? This image was taken on July 7 by New Horizons when it was about 5 million miles from the planet. Look to the lower right, and you'll see a large bright area -- about 1,200 miles across -- that resembles a heart.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
Do you see a heart on Pluto? This image was taken on July 7 by New Horizons when it was about 5 million miles from the planet. Look to the lower right, and you'll see a large bright area -- about 1,200 miles across -- that resembles a heart.
Hide Caption
33 of 46
New Horizons took six black-and-white photos of Pluto and Charon between June 23 and 29. The images were combined with color data from another instrument on the space probe to create the images above. The spacecraft was 15 million miles away when it started the sequence and 11 million miles when the last photo was taken.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
New Horizons took six black-and-white photos of Pluto and Charon between June 23 and 29. The images were combined with color data from another instrument on the space probe to create the images above. The spacecraft was 15 million miles away when it started the sequence and 11 million miles when the last photo was taken.
Hide Caption
34 of 46
Pluto is shown here along with Charon in images taken on June 25 and 27. The image on the right shows a series of evenly spaced dark spots near Pluto's equator. Scientists hope to solve the puzzle as New Horizons gets closer to Pluto.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
Pluto is shown here along with Charon in images taken on June 25 and 27. The image on the right shows a series of evenly spaced dark spots near Pluto's equator. Scientists hope to solve the puzzle as New Horizons gets closer to Pluto.
Hide Caption
35 of 46
New Horizons took a series of 13 images of Charon circling Pluto over the span of 6½ days in April. As the images were being taken, the spacecraft moved from about 69 million miles from Pluto to 64 million miles.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
New Horizons took a series of 13 images of Charon circling Pluto over the span of 6½ days in April. As the images were being taken, the spacecraft moved from about 69 million miles from Pluto to 64 million miles.
Hide Caption
36 of 46
Look carefully at the images above: They mark the first time New Horizons has photographed Pluto's smallest and faintest moons, Kerberos and Styx. The images were taken from April 25 to May 1.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
Look carefully at the images above: They mark the first time New Horizons has photographed Pluto's smallest and faintest moons, Kerberos and Styx. The images were taken from April 25 to May 1.
Hide Caption
37 of 46
New Horizons used its color imager to capture this image of Pluto and Charon on April 9. This was the first color image taken by a spacecraft approaching Pluto and Charon, according to NASA. The spacecraft was about 71 million miles away from Pluto when the photo was taken.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
New Horizons used its color imager to capture this image of Pluto and Charon on April 9. This was the first color image taken by a spacecraft approaching Pluto and Charon, according to NASA. The spacecraft was about 71 million miles away from Pluto when the photo was taken.
Hide Caption
38 of 46
In August 2014, New Horizons crossed the orbit of Neptune, the last planet it would pass on its journey to Pluto. New Horizons took this photo of Neptune and its large moon Triton when it was about 2.45 billion miles from the planet -- more than 26 times the distance between the Earth and our sun.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
In August 2014, New Horizons crossed the orbit of Neptune, the last planet it would pass on its journey to Pluto. New Horizons took this photo of Neptune and its large moon Triton when it was about 2.45 billion miles from the planet -- more than 26 times the distance between the Earth and our sun.
Hide Caption
39 of 46
New Horizons captured this image of Jupiter and its volcanic moon Io in early 2007.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
New Horizons captured this image of Jupiter and its volcanic moon Io in early 2007.
Hide Caption
40 of 46
On its way to Pluto, New Horizons snapped these photos of Jupiter's four large "Galilean" moons. From left is Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
On its way to Pluto, New Horizons snapped these photos of Jupiter's four large "Galilean" moons. From left is Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto.
Hide Caption
41 of 46
A white arrow points to Pluto in this photo taken in September 2006 from New Horizons. The spacecraft was still about 2.6 billion miles from Pluto.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
A white arrow points to Pluto in this photo taken in September 2006 from New Horizons. The spacecraft was still about 2.6 billion miles from Pluto.
Hide Caption
42 of 46
Pluto was discovered in 1930 but was only a speck of light in the best telescopes on Earth until February 2010, when NASA released this photo. It was created by combining several images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope -- each only a few pixels wide -- through a technique called dithering. NASA says it took four years and 20 computers operating continuously to create the image.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
Pluto was discovered in 1930 but was only a speck of light in the best telescopes on Earth until February 2010, when NASA released this photo. It was created by combining several images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope -- each only a few pixels wide -- through a technique called dithering. NASA says it took four years and 20 computers operating continuously to create the image.
Hide Caption
43 of 46
This was one of the best views we had of Pluto and its moon Charon before the New Horizons mission. The image was taken by the European Space Agency's Faint Object Camera on the Hubble Space Telescope on February 21, 1994.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
This was one of the best views we had of Pluto and its moon Charon before the New Horizons mission. The image was taken by the European Space Agency's Faint Object Camera on the Hubble Space Telescope on February 21, 1994.
Hide Caption
44 of 46
A Hubble Space Telescope image of Pluto and its moons. Charon is the largest moon close to Pluto. The other four bright dots are smaller moons discovered in 2005, 2011 and 2012: Nix, Hydra, Kerberos and Styx.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
A Hubble Space Telescope image of Pluto and its moons. Charon is the largest moon close to Pluto. The other four bright dots are smaller moons discovered in 2005, 2011 and 2012: Nix, Hydra, Kerberos and Styx.
Hide Caption
45 of 46
New Horizons launched from Florida's Kennedy Space Center on January 19, 2006. The probe, about the size of a piano, weighed nearly 1,054 pounds at launch. It has seven instruments on board to take images and sample Pluto's atmosphere. After it completes its five-month study of Pluto, the spacecraft will keep going deeper into the Kuiper Belt.
Photos: New Horizons explores Pluto, Arrokoth
New Horizons launched from Florida's Kennedy Space Center on January 19, 2006. The probe, about the size of a piano, weighed nearly 1,054 pounds at launch. It has seven instruments on board to take images and sample Pluto's atmosphere. After it completes its five-month study of Pluto, the spacecraft will keep going deeper into the Kuiper Belt.
Hide Caption
46 of 46
01 pluto new horizons Interstellar Parallax Experimentarrokoth kupier belt object02 new horizons explores pluto ultima thule01 pluto 051215pluto's bladed terrianpluto cthulhu01 pluto hills waterpluto water ice composite 01301602 pluto 05121503 pluto 05121501 charon02 charon03 charonpluto textured mountainpluto ice mountain and plainspluto 0917 01pluto 0917 0201 pluto 091002 pluto 091003 pluto 091004 pluto 0910pluto hazy skiespulto heart 071802 pluto 071501 charon 0715pluto methane01 pluto 071501 pluto horizon 0714Pluto and Charon in false color 071415NASA New Horizons Plutos heartNASA New Horizons Charon 071215pluto charon 0708pluto heartpluto triptych 07042015Pluto on the Horizonnew horizons pluto charon seriesnew horizons styx kerberospluto charon color image new horizonsNeptune and TritonJupiter and IoJupite and its moonsNew Horizons spots PlutoPluto from Hubble 2010Pluto and Charon 1994pluto and five moonsnew horizons launched

Story highlights

  • A new map shows Pluto's surface is covered with water ice
  • It's more frozen water than scientists initially thought existed on the dwarf planet's surface

(CNN)Talk about an endless winter: Pluto has way more frozen water than scientists originally thought.

The dwarf planet is coated with a large amount of ice, according to a new map using previously collected data from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft.
This map is more sensitive than an earlier version that was created using data by New Horizons' historic fly by in 2015. The previous map was at a disadvantage because water ice can be easily masked by frozen methane. So it only showed areas with an especially large amount of frozen water.
A new method, which involved NASA stitching together two infrared images captured by New Horizons' Ralph/Linear Etalon Imaging Spectral Array (LEISA) instrument, at a distance of about 67,000 miles, allowed scientists to mute ice signatures created by other elements, such as methane and nitrogen, and heighten the signature for water ice. What they discovered was a lot of frozen water blanketing little Pluto's surface.
So what's the big deal? Didn't we already know Pluto was like an Elsa paradise? The planet has towering ice mountains and two potential cryovolcanoes — yes, that means ice volcanoes. Well, this new map shows water ice is more widespread across Pluto's surface, which is an important discovery, according to NASA officials.
Read More
Ice, snow, glaciers -- Earth teems with water ice. Water ice is Pluto's bedrock — the relatively hard, solid material beneath a world's surface. Finding water on another world is important. It is considered one of the key ingredients to life as we know it. However, oxygen and hydrogen, the elements in water, are abundant in the universe. And water is just one piece of NASA's search for a habitable planet.
In fact, there are several worlds thought to have subsurface liquid water, and many with water in the form of ice or vapor.
According to the new map of Pluto, there's little evidence of ice water in the Sputnik Planum, which lies in the western region of Pluto's "heart," and Lowell Regio, NASA officials said in a statement on Thursday. "This indicates that at least in these regions, Pluto's icy bedrock is well hidden beneath a thick blanket of other ices such as methane, nitrogen and carbon monoxide," according to the statement.
Since New Horizons fly by in July 2015, the dwarf planet has been full of surprises. Its icy surface, frozen water and mysterious moons have marveled scientists.
Meanwhile, New Horizons is on a new mission, millions of miles on the other side of the dwarf planet. The piano-sized spacecraft is chasing down a small object known as known as 2014 MU69, which lies a billion miles beyond Pluto in a rocky part of space known as the Kuiper Belt.