Pluto is one of the most beloved objects in our solar system. Discovered less than a century ago, we humans have known about this tiny, far-flung world for less time than it needs to complete one orbit around the Sun: 248 years.
And yet, Pluto remains at the forefront of the scientific process, challenging our understanding of the solar system and its worlds. Many people know of its famous “demotion” in 2006, when the International Astronomical Union reclassified it from planet to dwarf planet— a decision that remains contentious to this day. And when the New Horizons spacecraft flew past Pluto in 2015, it sent back images not of a cold, dead rock, but of a vibrant world with a stunning, blue-hued atmosphere and a thousand-mile-wide nitrogen glacier in the shape of a heart.
To the surprise and wonder of planetary scientists, we’ve learned that Pluto is a geologically complex and active world. During Explore Scientific’s recent online Global Star Party celebrating Pluto and its discoverer, Clyde Tombaugh, Astronomy editor David Eicher and New Horizons principal investigator Alan Stern marveled that prior to the flyby, no scientists considered Pluto a potentially habitable world. Yet researchers now suspect the icy surface could cover water ocean below, where perhaps microbial life could even develop and thrive.
The story of Pluto has been one of surprise and joyous discovery, since Tombaugh first spotted it as a young man working his first professional astronomy job at Lowell Observatory in 1930. Pluto wasn’t the world he was looking for, but it has shown us so many new and unexpected things about the solar system we live in. Now, we have imaged Pluto’s surface, named several of its features, and discovered a unique system of five moons circling the distant world.
Items like Astronomy’s exclusive 12-inch Pluto globe show tangibly just how far our understanding of the outer reaches of the solar system has come in less than a century. A globe is not only a sophisticated piece to show off in your home or office, but also a versatile tool and, most of all, a visible reminder of the curiosity and ingenuity that drives all science forward.
Whether you’re interested in a globe, a cuddly plush version of Pluto and its largest moon, Charon, or in a backstage visit via DVD to the Flagstaff observatory where Tombaugh made his find, participants in Explore Alliance’s special Global Star Party can enjoy 15% off their entire order at MyScienceShop.com with coupon code STAR15. This exclusive code expires March 31, 2021.
Come explore our solar system and beyond, with products hand-picked by Astronomy magazine to foster curiosity, encourage discovery, and answer all your many questions about the universe we live in. |
