I love the approach of New Horizons to Pluto - and here is the "heart" of the matter!

[NRaleighLiberal]

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--mekZsIHR--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/1331932131097444270.jpg

New Horizons is back in action — and the probe’s latest picture reveals a surface feature that has a distinctively heart-like shape. NASA has also released an updated map of Pluto, showing two surface features that have been dubbed the “whale” and “donut.”

The top image was received by NASA scientists earlier today. New Horizons was just under 5 million miles (8 million km) from Pluto when the picture was taken. It’s the first new image since the technical anomaly this past weekend. The image shows a distinct geological feature that’s very heart-like in its shape. Coincidentally, the New Horizons spacecraft will be honing-in on this area during its flyby on July 14.

This image below was put together using images taken from June 27 to July 3 by the LORRI camera on New Horizons, along with low-res color data from the Ralph instrument. This whole-planet map is offering scientists an unprecedented glimpse of Pluto’s dramatic surface features.

snip

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--v6libjsu--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/1331932131184608686.jpg

http://io9.com/new-horizons-latest-pluto-map-shows-a-whale-of-a-feat-1716494581

[Warpy]

1. This is roughly the view they'll have at the closest point

of the fly-by next Tuesday. The heart, however, will likely turn into something else as the planet rotates.

Every nerd on DU is glued to the reports, myself included.

I love this stuff.

[Baclava]

2. All the latest updates with pics can be found on 'Pluto Safari'

http://www.plutosafari.com/




yes- there's an app

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.simulationcurriculum.plutosafari

[Gloria]

3. I also read that there is some sort of "line" around the middle of the planet...

and I say PLANET because ...it's PLUTO!!!!!!

It seems the "line"reference is now being called part of the whale...

[Buns_of_Fire]

4. Poor little Pluto, out there all alone, is telling us that it still loves us.

Nine planets is what I was taught, and by gawd nine planets is what it shall REMAIN!!! (Besides, I bought several acres on it a few years ago, and demoting it would lower my property values.)