# @nasaartemis on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/BKp_2ZoheaP
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/15346495-nasaartemis-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/c8556e48ed.jpg
- **Posted:** 2016-09-22T11:16:59.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** NASA Artemis (@nasaartemis) — https://gondola.cc/nasaartemis

## Caption

#TBT when NASA New Horizons first spotted the reddish polar region on #Pluto’s moon, Charon. 
NASA's #NewHorizons #spacecraft captured this high-resolution, enhanced color view of Pluto’s largest moon, Charon, just before closest approach on July 14, 2015. The image combines blue, red and infrared images taken by the spacecraft's Ralph/Multispectral Visual Imaging Camera (MVIC); the #colors are processed to best highlight the variation of surface properties across Charon. #Scientists have learned that reddish material in the north (top) polar region – informally named Mordor Macula – is chemically processed methane that escaped from Pluto’s atmosphere onto Charon. #Charon is 754 miles (1,214 kilometers) across; this image resolves details as small as 1.8 miles (2.9 kilometers). Credits: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI #blue #infrared #pluto #photography #deepspace #explore

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 13,833
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 41

## Tags

deepspace, tbt, charon, pluto, scientists, photography, explore, spacecraft, newhorizons, blue, colors, infrared

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