Astronomy Picture of the Day

Explanation: Get out your red/blue glasses and gaze across a mountainous region informally known as Tartarus Dorsa. This scene sprawls some 300 kilometres (about 180 miles) across the Plutonian landscape. The colour anaglyph creates a stereo view by combining parts of two images taken about 14 minutes apart during the New Horizons historic flyby of Pluto last July. Along with shadows near the terminator, or line between Pluto's dim day and night, the 3D perspective emphasizes the alignment of narrow, steep ridges. The region's remarkable bladed landforms typically extend 500 metres high and are 3 to 5 kilometres apart. Referring to a part of Hades in ancient Greek mythology, Tartarus Dorsa borders Tombaugh Regio to the east.