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Jul 31, 2015
A gorgeous shot of the #fullmoon at City of Rocks National Reserve in #Idaho This photo of the moon was taken this morning as it was setting behind @cityofrocksNPS’s Graham Creek Canyon. Tonight’s full moon is called the blue moon -- a rare occurrence when two full moons take place in a month. Tonight's #bluemoon will be the first since August 2012 and we will not see another until January of 2018. Hope you get a chance to see it! #NationalPark Service photo. 🌝 by usinterior
Meet Ranger Roy Sullivan: The Chuck Norris of #ParkRangers. Ranger Sullivan is one of the most storied rangers in the modern #NationalPark Service. He was struck 7 times over the course of 40 years and lived through every single strike! To add to the story, after the lightning strike, he had to fight off a bear -- his 22nd bear attack. He holds the Guinness World Record for most survived lightning strikes on an individual. Today, we celebrate all rangers as part of #WorldRangerDay -- a day to recognize the work rangers do to protect the world’s natural and cultural treasures. Be sure to follow @nationalparkservice for more great pics of the amazing work of park rangers. Photo from @shenandoahnps archives. by usinterior
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Your daily dose of cute: This fox family spotted at #Togiak National #WildlifeRefuge in #Alaska. This 4.7 million-acre refuge features a kaleidoscope of landscapes -- from mountain crags, fast-flowing rivers and deep lakes to tundra, marshy lowlands and sea cliffs. At least 283 species of wildlife can be found on the refuge, including the red #fox pictured here. Photo by @USFWS. 🐺🐺 by usinterior
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Milky Way over Uluru Milky Way over Uluru
The central regions of our Milky Way Galaxy rise above Uluru/Ayers Rock in this striking night skyscape. Recorded on July 13, a faint airglow along the horizon shows off central Australia's most recognizable landform in silhouette. Of course the Milky Way's own cosmic dust clouds appear in silhouette too, dark rifts along the galaxy's faint congeries of stars. Above the central bulge, rivers of cosmic dust converge on a bright yellowish supergiant star Antares. Left of Antares, wandering Saturn shines in the night. via NASA http://ift.tt/1H4Flwz
Jul 30, 2015
The perfect place to explore Maine’s rugged coastline is Monument Cove at #Acadia #NationalPark. Nate Levesque (@nplevesque) captured this gorgeous night shot a few weeks ago while visiting @acadianps. Of it, he says, “It was great to watch the #MilkyWay rising over the Atlantic while hearing the waves crash into #MonumentCove. #Maine is a beautiful state and I wouldn't trade it for anything.” Photo courtesy of Nate Levesque (@nplevesque). by usinterior
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Experience America’s favorite drive at the #BlueRidgeParkway. Meandering for 469 miles, the parkway reveals stunning long-range vistas and close-up views of the rugged mountains and pastoral landscapes of the Appalachian Highlands in #NorthCarolina and #Virginia -- Not to mention some of the most magical sunrises and sunsets. Want to see more amazing pics from @BlueRidgeNPS? Follow usinterior on snapchat as #BlueRidge shares live updates from the park. Photo by Susan Harris (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior
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The Deep Lagoon The Deep Lagoon
Ridges of glowing interstellar gas and dark dust clouds inhabit the turbulent, cosmic depths of the Lagoon Nebula. Also known as M8, The bright star forming region is about 5,000 light-years distant. But it still makes for a popular stop on telescopic tours of the constellation Sagittarius, toward the center of our Milky Way Galaxy. Dominated by the telltale red emission of ionized hydrogen atoms recombining with stripped electrons, this stunning, deep view of the Lagoon's central reaches is about 40 light-years across. Near the center of the frame, the bright hourglass shape is gas ionized and sculpted by energetic radiation and extreme stellar winds from a massive young star. via NASA http://ift.tt/1IpRahC
Jul 29, 2015
One of #Utah's most popular landmarks is Delicate Arch at #Arches #NationalPark. Visitors come from all over the world to see the famous stone arch. Referred to as "the arch" by many newly arriving @archesnps visitors, Delicate has an allure that is hard to explain but impossible to deny. Pictured here is #DelicateArch with the snow-capped La Sal Mountain range providing a gorgeous contrast to the red clay. Photo courtesy of Duane Jurma (@duanejurma). by usinterior
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Washington’s Olympic #NationalPark is a land of beauty and variety. With nearly 1 million acres, #Olympic encompasses several distinctly different ecosystems. Visitors can take in fantastic views of scenic vistas of snow-capped peaks and subalpine forests at #HurricaneRidge, the park’s most easily accessed location in high country. Hurricane Ridge has a number of hiking trails, from ridgetop traverses to steep trails that descend to subalpine lakes and valleys. Photo courtesy of Jayasimha Murthy (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior
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Rainbows and Rays over Bryce Canyon Rainbows and Rays over Bryce Canyon
What's happening over Bryce Canyon? Two different optical effects that were captured in one image taken earlier this month. Both effects needed to have the Sun situated directly behind the photographer. The nearest apparition was the common rainbow, created by sunlight streaming from the setting sun over the head of the photographer, and scattering from raindrops in front of the canyon. If you look closely, even a second rainbow appears above the first. More rare, and perhaps more striking, are the rays of light that emanate out from the horizon above the canyon. These are known as anticrepuscular rays and result from sunlight streaming though breaks in the clouds, around the sky, and converging at the point 180 degrees around from the Sun. Geometrically, this antisolar point must coincide with the exact center of the rainbows. Located in Utah, USA, Bryce Canyon itself contains a picturesque array of ancient sedimentary rock spires known as hoodoos. via NASA http://ift.tt/1evEkqq
Jul 28, 2015
#GrandStaircase-Escalante National Monument is located on the Colorado Plateau in the pristine and spectacular canyonlands of #Utah. A beautiful drive along Cottonwood Creek Drive takes you to #GrosvenorsArch -- a rare double natural arch that is one of the most unusual features of the Grand Staircase-Escalante. Pictured here is the #MilkyWay glittering in the sky as seen from the front side of Grosvenors Arch. Photo courtesy of David Lane. by usinterior
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This morning #PadreIsland National Seashore in Texas released 90 endangered Kemp’s ridley baby sea #turtles. Since the begin of July, the seashore has released 700-800 sea turtle hatchlings into the ocean. For more photos and video of baby turtles, follow us on Snapchat at usinterior. 🐢🐢 Photo by #NationalPark Service. by usinterior
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Milky Way and Aurora over Antarctica Milky Way and Aurora over Antarctica
It has been one of the better skies of this long night. In parts of Antarctica, not only is it winter, but the Sun can spend weeks below the horizon. At China's Zhongshan Station, people sometimes venture out into the cold to photograph a spectacular night sky. The featured image from one such outing was taken in mid-July, just before the end of this polar night. Pointing up, the wide angle lens captured not only the ground at the bottom, but at the top as well. In the foreground is a colleague also taking pictures. In the distance, a spherical satellite receiver and several windmills are visible. Numerous stars dot the night sky, including Sirius and Canopus. Far in the background, stretching overhead from horizon to horizon, is the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy. Even further in the distance, visible as extended smudges near the top, are the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, satellite galaxies near our huge Milky Way Galaxy. via NASA http://ift.tt/1OJw2s8
Jul 27, 2015
A beautiful photo of first light at #Glacier #NationalPark in #Montana. Of the photo, photographer Kevin LeFevre (@sugarconnection) says: "While shooting the #sunrise at Bowman Lake we were graced with this meandering doe. I scrambled to change my camera settings to accommodate the movement and pulled off this solitary photo. A once in a lifetime." While parts of @GlacierNPS are closed because of #ReynoldsCreekFire, most of the park remains open, including Bowman Lake area. Photo courtesy of Kevin LeFevre (@sugarconnection). by usinterior
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Take a step back in time and paddle through history along the #UpperMissouri Wild and Scenic River in #Montana. You can camp in the same locations as the 1805 Lewis and Clark expedition on your multi-day canoe expedition down the “Big Muddy.” The unique geology and harsh landscapes that were extensively described by Lewis and Clark are in a condition that has changed little since the passage of the expedition. Historic homesteads dot the river banks, and remnants of the steamboat era remain in inscriptions that were etched on the rock walls. Sunset photo by Bob Wicks, @mypubliclands. 🚣⛺️ by usinterior
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The Sombrero Galaxy from Hubble The Sombrero Galaxy from Hubble
Why does the Sombrero Galaxy look like a hat? Reasons include the Sombrero's unusually large and extended central bulge of stars, and dark prominent dust lanes that appear in a disk that we see nearly edge-on. Billions of old stars cause the diffuse glow of the extended central bulge. Close inspection of the bulge in the above photograph shows many points of light that are actually globular clusters. M104's spectacular dust rings harbor many younger and brighter stars, and show intricate details astronomers don't yet fully understand. The very center of the Sombrero glows across the electromagnetic spectrum, and is thought to house a large black hole. Fifty million-year-old light from the Sombrero Galaxy can be seen with a small telescope towards the constellation of Virgo. via NASA http://ift.tt/1GPP4Xq
Jul 26, 2015
Infrared Trifid Infrared Trifid
The Trifid Nebula, also known as Messier 20, is easy to find with a small telescope, a well known stop in the nebula rich constellation Sagittarius. But where visible light pictures show the nebula divided into three parts by dark, obscuring dust lanes, this penetrating infrared image reveals filaments of glowing dust clouds and newborn stars. The spectacular false-color view is courtesy of the Spitzer Space Telescope. Astronomers have used the Spitzer infrared image data to count newborn and embryonic stars which otherwise can lie hidden in the natal dust and gas clouds of this intriguing stellar nursery. As seen here, the Trifid is about 30 light-years across and lies only 5,500 light-years away. via NASA http://ift.tt/1D0ldk5
Jul 25, 2015
Ultraviolet Rings of M31 Ultraviolet Rings of M31
A mere 2.5 million light-years away the Andromeda Galaxy, also known as M31, really is just next door as large galaxies go. So close and spanning some 260,000 light-years, it took 11 different image fields from the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) satellite's telescope to produce this gorgeous portrait of the spiral galaxy in ultraviolet light. While its spiral arms stand out in visible light images of Andromeda, the arms look more like rings in the GALEX ultraviolet view, a view dominated by the energetic light from hot, young, massive stars. As sites of intense star formation, the rings have been interpreted as evidence Andromeda collided with its smaller neighboring elliptical galaxy M32 more than 200 million years ago. The large Andromeda galaxy and our own Milky Way are the most massive members of the local galaxy group. via NASA http://ift.tt/1MLHC4N
Jul 24, 2015
One of the most popular backcountry hikes in #Zion #NationalPark, The Subway is not to be missed. This unique #slotcanyon was sculpted by the Left Fork of North Creek, and moving water chisels the rock floor, leaving behind shallow potholes. This amazing photo by Tiffany Nguyen (@tiffpenguin) captures the size and scale of The Subway. To explore The Subway, visitors must get permits and it is subjected to daily limits. For more great photos of @zionnps, check out our @stellerstories at steller.co/interior. Photo courtesy of Tiffany Nguyen (@tiffpenguin). by usinterior
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The #MilkyWay rises over #JoshuaTree National Park in Southern #California. With just a short hike to @joshuatreenps’s Arch Rock, visitors can explore this natural wonder while watching the stars sparkle overhead. Photo courtesy of Shreenivasan Manievannan. by usinterior
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Comet PanSTARRS, Moon, and Venus Comet PanSTARRS, Moon, and Venus
It is the object to the left of the big tree that's generating much recent excitement. If you look closely, there you can see Comet PanSTARRS, complete with two tails. During July, this comet has increased markedly in brightness and has just passed its closest approach to Earth. The statuesque tree in the center is a Norfolk Island Pine, and to either side of this tree are New Zealand Pohutukaw trees. Over the trees, far in the distance, are bright Venus and an even brighter crescent Moon. If you look even more closely, you can find Jupiter hidden in the branches of the pine. The featured image was taken a few days ago in Fergusson Park, New Zealand, looking over Tauranga Harbour Inlet. In the coming days and weeks, Comet C/2014 Q1 (PANSTARRS) will slowly move away from the Sun and the Earth, drift deep into southern skies, and fade. via NASA http://ift.tt/1DwLGRg
Jul 23, 2015
Summer sunsets at #Denali National Park in #Alaska are truly special. Kent Miller (@kent_miller) snapped this dream-like photo two days ago of a #moose walking along Reflection Pond. In the background, the top of Denali is illuminated by the setting sun at midnight. Photo by Kent Miller (@kent_miller), #NationalPark Service. by usinterior
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With more than 300 miles of hiking trails, #RockyMountain #NationalPark in Colorado is a great place to enjoy the wilderness. A hike on @rockynps’s #UteTrail provides expansive views of mountain peaks and fields of wildflowers. Stefanie Obkirchner (@steffophotography) took this picture along the Ute Trail earlier this month as a summer storm blew through the park. Photo courtesy of Stefanie Obkirchner (@steffophotography). by usinterior
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Jul 22, 2015
It doesn’t get much better than the views found at #GrandCanyon #NationalPark in Arizona. This #sunset shot was taken at @grandcanyonnps’s #CapeRoyal, which provides a panorama up, down and across the canyon. With seemingly unlimited vistas to the east and west, it is popular for both sunrise and sunset. Photo by Brent Johnson (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior
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Natural arches, caves and sea stacks are some of the beautiful and interesting features that are found along the coastline of #Alaska’s #KenaiFjords National Park. They also provide habitat for wildlife such as cormorants, puffins, sea lions and sea otters. #NationalPark Service photo. by usinterior
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Comet Tails and Star Trails Comet Tails and Star Trails
After grazing the western horizon on northern summer evenings Comet PanSTARRS (also known as C/2014 Q1) climbed higher in southern winter skies. A visitor to the inner Solar System discovered in August 2014 by the prolific panSTARRS survey, the comet was captured here on July 17. Comet and colorful tails were imaged from Home Observatory in Mackay, Queensland, Australia. The field of view spans just over 1 degree. Sweeping quickly across a the sky this comet PanSTARRS was closest to planet Earth about 2 days later. Still, the faint stars of the constellation Cancer left short trails in the telescopic image aligned to track the comet's rapid motion. PanSTARRS' bluish ion tails stream away from the Sun, buffetted by the solar wind. Driven by the pressure of sunlight, its more diffuse yellowish dust tail is pushed outward and lags behind the comet's orbit. A good target for binoculars from southern latitudes, in the next few days the comet will sweep through skies near Venus, Jupiter, and bright star Regulus. via NASA http://ift.tt/1CMulZO
Jul 21, 2015
#Colorado #NationalMonument has experienced some intense thunderstorms this month, making for some dramatic photos. ⚡️ This amazing shot by Bob Ingelhart from July 10 captures a #lightning storm overlooking Monument Canyon. Photo courtesy of Bob Ingelhart. by usinterior
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On this day in 1861, the first major battle of the #CivilWar -- the First Battle of #BullRun -- unfolded on the slopes of Henry Hill and Matthews Hill. Also know as the Battle of First #Manassas, Bull Run taught both the North and South that the war would not be a short affair, settled through one decisive and epic battle. Today the Manassas National Battlefield Park provides visitors the opportunity to learn about the Civil War through historic sites, walking trails and ranger-led programs. #NationalPark Service Photo. by usinterior
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Comet PanSTARRS and a Crescent Moon Comet PanSTARRS and a Crescent Moon
A comet has brightened quickly and unexpectedly. Discovered last year, Comet C/2014 Q1 (PanSTARRS) is expected to be visible now for a few days to the unaided eye, just after sunset, from some locations. The comet rounded the Sun on July 6 and apparently has shed quite a bit of gas and dust. Today it is now as close as it will ever get to the Earth, which is another factor in its recent great apparent brightness and the large angular extent of its tails. In the featured image taken two days ago, Comet PanSTARRS is seen sporting a short white dust tail fading to the right, and a long blue ion tail pointing away from the recently set Sun. A crescent moon dominates the image center. Tomorrow, Comet PannSTARRS will pass only 7 degrees away from a bright Jupiter, with even brighter Venus nearby. Due to its proximity to the Sun, the comet and its tails may best be seen in the sunset din with binoculars or cameras using long-duration exposures. via NASA http://ift.tt/1GuFMQv
Jul 20, 2015
Less than three hours from Seattle, the alpine landscape of #NorthCascades National Park beckons. The park (@ncascadesnps) preserves some of the finest mountain country in North America, including the #CascadeRange. In this picture, #MountShuksan (one of the most popular peaks in the Cascades) glows during the last few moments of #sunset on a warm summer evening. Photo courtesy of Howard Snyder. by usinterior
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Located in the heart of #Dinosaur #NationalMonument’s canyon country, Echo Park provides many opportunities to enjoy remarkable surroundings and discover Fremont petroglyphs. At night the sky is filled with a spectacular display of stars thanks to the lack of light pollution -- making stargazing a must. Pictured here, the #MilkyWay fills the night sky along the Green River. Photo by Dan Duriscoe, National Park Service. by usinterior
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The First Rocket Launch from Cape Canaveral The First Rocket Launch from Cape Canaveral
A new chapter in space flight began this week in 1950 July with the launch of the first rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida: the Bumper V-2. Shown above, the Bumper V-2 was an ambitious two-stage rocket program that topped a V-2 missile base with a WAC Corporal rocket. The upper stage was able to reach then-record altitudes of almost 400 kilometers, higher than even Space Shuttles once flew. Launched under the direction of the General Electric Company, the Bumper V-2 was used primarily for testing rocket systems and for research on the upper atmosphere. Bumper V-2 rockets carried small payloads that allowed them to measure attributes including air temperature and cosmic ray impacts. Seven years later, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I and Sputnik II, the first satellites into Earth orbit. In response in 1958, the US created NASA. via NASA http://ift.tt/1MBa8WB
Jul 19, 2015
Jul 18, 2015
Charon Charon
Icy world Charon is 1,200 kilometers across. That makes Pluto's largest moon only about 1/10th the size of planet Earth but a whopping 1/2 the diameter of Pluto itself. Charon is seen in unprecedented detail in this image from New Horizons. The image was captured late July 13 during the spacecraft's flight through the Plutonian system from a range of less than 500,000 kilometers. For reference, the distance separating Earth and Moon is less than 400,000 kilometers. Charonian terrain, described as surprising, youthful, and varied, includes a 1,000 kilometer swath of cliffs and troughs stretching below center, a 7 to 9 kilometer deep canyon cutting the curve of the upper right edge, and an enigmatic dark north polar region unofficially dubbed Mordor. via NASA http://ift.tt/1Gps8Op
Jul 17, 2015
50 Miles on Pluto 50 Miles on Pluto
A 50 mile (80 kilometer) trip across Pluto would cover the distance indicated by the scale bar in this startling image. The close-up of the icy world's rugged equatorial terrain was captured when the New Horizons spacecraft was about 47,800 miles (77,000 kilometers) from the surface, 1.5 hours before its closest approach. Rising to an estimated 11,000 feet (3,500 meters) the mountains are likely composed of water ice. Suggesting surprising geological activity, they are also likely young with an estimated age of 100 million years or so based on the apparent absence of craters. The region pictured is near the base of Pluto's broad, bright, heart-shaped feature. via NASA http://ift.tt/1M74PAm
Jul 16, 2015
At 2,425 feet, #YosemiteFalls is one of the tallest waterfalls in the U.S. This iconic waterfall can be seen from many places around @yosemitenps’s #YosemiteValley, but nothing compares to seeing the #waterfall up close. Michael Bonocore (@michaelbonocore) took this breathtaking photo of his friend Tessa Kit (@tessakit) from the base of Yosemite Falls at the end of May. Photo courtesy of @michaelbonocore. by usinterior
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Pluto Resolved Pluto Resolved
New Horizons has survived its close encounter with Pluto and has resumed sending back images and data. The robotic spacecraft reported back on time, with all systems working, and with the expected volume of data stored. Featured here is the highest resolution image of Pluto taken before closest approach, an image that really brings Pluto into a satisfying focus. At first glance, Pluto is reddish and has several craters. Toward the image bottom is a surprisingly featureless light-covered region that resembles an iconic heart, and mountainous terrain appears on the lower right. This image, however, is only the beginning. As more images and data pour in today, during the coming week, and over the next year, humanity's understanding of Pluto and its moons will likely become revolutionized. via NASA http://ift.tt/1MtRDn8
Jul 15, 2015
There's something special about an alpine start. Luke Konarzewski took this awesome photo on June 10 while on a solo climb of #MountRainier -- the towering icon in Mount Rainier #NationalPark’s landscape. The photo is from the top of the Cleaver section on the #DisappointmentCleaver route, showing the #stars glittering overhead and the #NorthernLights shimmering in the distance. Using a long exposure, Konarzewski was able to pick up what he says is one of the most fantastic scenes that he has ever witnessed in the mountains. Photo courtesy of Luke Konarzewski. by usinterior
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#Saguaro #NationalPark is home to one of the world's most majestic plants -- the #SaguaroCactus. 🌵🌵 Uniquely situated around the 500 square miles that make up Tucson, #Arizona, @saguaronationalpark protects these enormous cacti -- offering visitors a chance to see the plants silhouetted by the beauty of a desert #sunset. Photo by Debbie Angel (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior
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New Horizons Passes Pluto and Charon New Horizons Passes Pluto and Charon
Will the New Horizons spacecraft survive its closest approach to Pluto and return useful images and data? Humanity will know in a few hours. Regardless of how well it functions, New Horizon's rapid speed will take it whizzing past Pluto and its moons today, with the time of closest approach being at 11:50 UT (7:50 am EDT). To better take images and data, though, the robotic spacecraft was preprogrammed and taken intentionally out of contact with the Earth until about 1:00 am UT July 15, which corresponds to about 9:00 pm EDT on July 14. Therefore, much of mankind will be holding its breath through this day, hoping that the piano-sized spacecraft communicates again with ground stations on Earth. Hopefully, at that time, New Horizons will begin beaming back new and enlightening data about a world that has remained remote and mysterious since its discovery 85 years ago. Featured above is a New Horizons composite image of the moon Charon (left) and Pluto (right) taken 3 days ago, already showing both worlds in unprecedented detail. via NASA http://ift.tt/1HsjikF
Jul 14, 2015
Check out this epic aerial battle between a #BaldEagle & two seagulls. David Canales (@dcanak1) captured this once-in-a-lifetime photo from his kayak on #PrinceWilliamSound in #Alaska while on an 11-day expedition from Valdez to Whittier. Photo courtesy of David Canales (@dcanak1). by usinterior
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A colorful #sunrise from Slinkard Wilderness Study Area in #California. The view -- from a 9,000 foot peak just south of #MonitorPass -- looks towards Topaz Lake, Nevada. Although the winter had record low precipitation levels in the Sierra, moisture in late spring and summer has resulted in a good wildflower bloom. Bob Wick captured this photo on July 9, and about it he says, I not adjust the color saturation on this -- it was just one of those "saturated" mornings! Photo by @mypubliclands. by usinterior
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Last Look at Plutos Charon Side Last Look at Plutos Charon Side
Pluto surface is strange. As the robotic New Horizons barrels toward its closest approach to Pluto and its moons tomorrow, images already coming back show Pluto's surface to be curiouser and curiouser. The featured image, taken two days ago, shows the side of Pluto that always faces Pluto's largest moon Charon. Particularly noteworthy is the dark belt near the bottom that circles Pluto's equator. It is currently unclear whether regions in this dark belt are mountainous or flat, why boundaries are so sharply defined, and why the light regions seem to be nearly evenly spaced. As New Horizons will be flying past the other side of Pluto, this should be the best image of this distant landscape that humanity sees for a long time. Assuming the robotic spacecraft operates as hoped, images taken of the other side of Pluto, taken near closest approach, will be about 300 times more detailed. via NASA http://ift.tt/1M0TYb0
Jul 13, 2015
This Eastern Screech #owl looks like it is clearly done with Monday. This funny photo of the owl was taken at #Okefenokee National #WildlifeRefuge in #Georgia. Okefenokee is like no other place on earth, where natural beauty and wilderness prevail. It preserves the Okefenokee Swamp, providing vital habitats for birds, reptiles and other wildlife. Photo by Graham McGeorge (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). by usinterior
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Set in a strikingly scenic valley where granite tors (chimney-like rock formations) rise to 100 feet, #SerpentineHotSprings is the most visited at #BeringLandBridge National Preserve in #Alaska. The hot springs were formed when surface water or spring water seeped into the ground and was heated by hot rocks. Pictured here is #sunset at Serpentine Hot Springs by Alyssa Enriquez, #NationalPark Service. by usinterior
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Destination: Pluto. The New Horizons spacecraft roared off its launch pad at Cape Canaveral in Florida, USA in 2006 toward adventures in the distant Solar System. The craft is the fastest spaceships ever launched by humans, having passed the Moon only nine hours after launch, and Jupiter only a year later. After spending almost a decade crossing the Solar System, New Horizons will fly past Pluto on Tuesday. Pluto, officially a planet when New Horizons launched, has never been visited by a spacecraft or photographed up close. After Pluto, the robot spaceship will visit one or more Kuiper Belt Objects orbiting the Sun even further out than Pluto. Pictured, the New Horizons craft launches into space atop a powerful Atlas V rocket. via NASA http://ift.tt/1HWe4RZ