NASA’s New Horizons mission gets a brand-new name “Arrokoth”

The International Astronomical Union and Minor Planets Center, the global body for naming Kuiper Belt objects, has finally given a name for the most distant world ever explored by a space mission. It is called Arrokoth. NASA launched the New Horizons mission in January 2006. After crossing by Pluto in 2015, in 2019 it flew by ..

Topics: Astronomical objects • Astronomy • Charon • Extraterrestrial water • Kuiper belt • New Horizons • Planet • Planetary science • Pluto • Solar System • Space exploration

“S/2012” – 5th moon orbiting Pluto discovered by NASA

United States space scientists have discovered a 5th moon orbiting Pluto. According to NASA the irregular-shaped moon, nicknamed S/2012 for now, measures around 10 to 24 km across. Astronomers, last year found the 4th moon around the Pluto some 5 billion km away. Charon is Pluto’s biggest moon which measures 1,030 kilometres across. US Naval ..

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2012

Topics: Astronomical objects • Book:Dwarf Planets of the Solar System & Their Satellites • Book:Pluto • Charon • Dwarf planet • Hydra • Minor planets • Moons of Pluto • Natural satellite • Nix • Planetary science • Pluto