Astronomy Picture of the Day——“天涯海角”
Primordial Contact Binary 2014 MU69
Image Credit: NASA, Johns HopkinsUniversity APL, Southwest Research Institute, Roman Tkachenko
Explanation: Primordial contact binary 2014MU69, also known as Ultima Thule, really is very red. In fact, it's the reddestouter solar system object ever visited by a spacecraft from Earth. Its reddishhue is believed to be due to organic materials on its surface. Ruddy color andtantalizing surface details seen in this composite image are based on data fromthe New Horizons spacecraft recorded during the January 1 flyby of the farthestworld yet explored. Embedded in the smaller lobe Thule (top), the 8 kilometerwide feature nicknamed Maryland crater is the largest depression known on thesurface of Ultima Thule. Transmission of data collected from the flybycontinues, and will go on until the late summer 2020 as New Horizons speedsdeeper into the dim and distant Kuiper Belt.
“天涯海角”
原始的相接双星2014 MU69就是被我们熟知的“天涯海角”，它呈现出明显的红色。实际上，它是人类飞船造访过的最红的太阳系外天体。它微红色的色泽被认为是与其表面的有机物有关。这幅红色表面和充满引人注目细节的图像是基于新视野号宇宙飞船的数据合成的，来源于它在1月1日飞越迄今为止人类探测过的最遥远的世界时采集的数据。较小瓣状结构Thule（位于图像上方）上的凹陷是宽度为8公里的马里兰环形山，它是天涯海角表面上的最大凹陷。从此次飞越中收集到的数据还在持续传输，直到2020年夏末，新视野号将进一步深入昏暗而遥远的柯伊伯带。
参考文献：
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/1905/ca06_color_UlThNH.jpg
近期文章：
Astronomy Picture of the Day——人马座内的星云