{"id":292019,"date":"2026-02-19T17:20:07","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T17:20:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/292019\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T17:20:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T17:20:07","slug":"nasas-new-horizons-captures-stunning-footage-of-ice-mountains-on-plutos-moon-nix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/292019\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA’s New Horizons Captures Stunning Footage of Ice Mountains on Pluto’s Moon Nix"},"content":{"rendered":"

NASA\u2019s New Horizons spacecraft has delivered extraordinary video footage showing towering ice mountains on Pluto\u2019s moon Nix. These ice peaks, some rising as high as 11,000 feet, are made of pure water ice and behave like rock due to the intense cold. <\/p>\n

The footage from New Horizons provides unprecedented details of Nix, a moon that has long fascinated researchers. Located in the frigid outer reaches of our solar system, Nix\u2019s ice mountains are not only visually striking but also scientifically significant. While Pluto and its moons are largely composed of ice, Nix stands out for its unique geological features. The new data is helping to reveal the active processes shaping the surface of the moon.<\/p>\n

A Frozen World: Nix\u2019s Ice Mountains<\/p>\n

According to NASA<\/a>, the ice mountains on Nix are made of pure water ice, which in the extreme cold of the moon behaves more like rock. These towering formations, some of which reach impressive heights of 11,000 feet, offer a rare example of ice in its most rigid form. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis observation is so tantalizing, I\u2019m finding it hard to be patient for more Nix data to be downlinked,\u201d stated Carly Howett, mission scientist at Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, in a NASA statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The extreme temperatures on Nix, which hover around -280\u00b0F (-173\u00b0C), prevent the ice from melting, and instead, it remains solid and stiff, giving it a rock-like appearance. Researchers believe this ice could be among the youngest geological features on the moon, only about 100 million years old, which is relatively young in the context of the solar system\u2019s 4.56 billion-year history.<\/p>\n

\"AA captivating view of Pluto\u2019s moon: Nix. Credit: NASA<\/p>\n

New Horizons Reveals Nix: A Closer Look at Pluto\u2019s Moon<\/p>\n

The images and video footage captured by NASA\u2019s New Horizons spacecraft <\/a>are crucial to expanding our understanding of Pluto\u2019s moons. Launched in 2006, New Horizons made its historic flyby of Pluto <\/a>in 2015, and the mission continues to provide invaluable data about the dwarf planet and its satellites. <\/p>\n

It took 9 years and 3 billion miles to get this shot. <\/p>\n

Pluto\u2019s icy Mountains.pic.twitter.com\/jpj3kSYQoz<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Curiosity (@MAstronomers) December 27, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n

The spacecraft\u2019s LEISA spectral imager, which collects detailed data about surface compositions, has been key to unveiling the true nature of Nix\u2019s surface. This technology allows scientists to analyze the characteristics of Nix\u2019s icy terrain in fine detail, helping them understand how these features form and evolve in the harsh environment of deep space.<\/p>\n

Nix and Hydra: A Duel of Moons<\/p>\n

While Nix shares similar characteristics with another of Pluto\u2019s moons, Hydra, there are distinct differences in their surface compositions. <\/p>\n

\u201cNix and Hydra \u2013 the second and third moons to be discovered \u2013 are approximately the same size, but their similarity ends there.\u201d explained NASA in the same statement.<\/p>\n

According to data from the New Horizons mission, Nix is covered predominantly by water ice, while Hydra exhibits higher reflectivity in visible wavelengths, which suggests that it might have a slightly different surface composition. These differences are important for scientists who are trying to piece together the geological history of Pluto\u2019s moons.<\/p>\n

\u201cNew Horizons\u2019 findings on the surface characteristics and other properties of Nix and Hydra will help scientists understand the origins and subsequent history of Pluto and its moons,\u201d as explained by the U.S space agency.<\/p>\n

\"NewNew Horizons captures a rare image of Pluto\u2019s moons Nix (left) and Hydra (right). Credit: NASA
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