Stunning NASA image reveals Pluto’s icy plains

The stunning images are "not easy to explain," leading scientists have admitted - but more data is coming through

In the center left of Pluto’s vast heart-shaped feature lies a vast, craterless plain that appears to be no more than 100 million years old. (NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI)

NASA has released more stunning images from the New Horizons spacecraft’s historic Pluto Flyby, providing a spectacular view of the dwarf planet’s icy terrain.

Scientists unveiled the first image of a wide plain dubbed “Sputnik Planum” (Sputnik Plain) Friday. Sputnik Planum is located in Pluto’s vast heart-shaped region, which scientists have named “Tombaugh Regio” after the scientist that discovered the dwarf planet.

But American space agency scientists working on the project are waiting on the probe to send back more data before jumping to conclusions.

Jeff Moore, who leads the New Horizons geology, geophysics and imaging team, said: "When I first saw the image of Sputnik plain I decided I was going to call it 'not easy to explain terrain."

                        Discovery: New Horizons probe obtains more detail of Pluto's surface

Nasa has also showcased new images from one of Pluto's smaller moons called Nix, which is just 40km across.

Alan Stern, lead scientist, said: "Let's set out expectations properly.

"As little as three months ago, we didn't have pictures of Pluto this good."

From the data sent back by the probe, it is believed that the planet is losing 500 tonnes of atmosphere each hour.

Its small size results in it not having the gravity to retain the atmosphere like bigger planets such as Mars and Earth can.

Incredible: Leading scientists have said that the new pictures will revolutionise their understanding of the dwarf planet

Fran Beganal, from the University of Colorado, said: "What is the consequence of that?

"If you add that loss up over the age of the Solar System, this is going to be equivalent to something on the order of 1,000-9,000ft - so that's a substantial mountain - of nitrogen ice that's been removed."

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has also shown that Pluto has a diameter of 2,370km - fractionally larger than previously believed.

The data confirms Pluto to be the largest object discovered so far in the Kuiper Belt - the outer zone of the Solar System.

The spacecraft's flyby took it within 7,750 miles of Pluto's surface, roughly the distance between New York and Mumbai. 

Confirmation of the successful flyby came late Tuesday, when New Horizons contacted scientists back on Earth, 3 billion miles from Pluto.

Pluto has fascinated astronomers since 1930, when it was discovered by Clyde Tombaugh using the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Ariz. Some of Tombaugh's ashes are aboard New Horizons.

New Horizons is the first-ever space mission to explore a world so far away from Earth, according to NASA. - AP