How Did Pluto’s Heart Shape Form? New Study Points to Cosmic Collision

Image Credit: EarthSky

The distinctive heart-shaped feature on Pluto’s surface, known as Tombaugh Regio, has long puzzled astronomers since its discovery by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft in 2015. Now, a new study suggests that this unique geological formation was likely formed by a cataclysmic collision with another planetary body early in Pluto’s history, shedding light on the mysterious origins of the dwarf planet.

Named after astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered Pluto in 1930, the Tombaugh Regio is a complex region with varied geological features and a highly reflective surface that stands out against the darker areas of Pluto. The heart-shaped feature includes a large basin called Sputnik Planitia, which contains a significant amount of nitrogen ice.

Scientists have struggled to explain the origins of Tombaugh Regio, particularly the formation of Sputnik Planitia and its heart-shaped appearance. The basin is vast, covering an area equivalent to about one-quarter of the United States, and is significantly lower in elevation compared to the surrounding terrain.

According to a recent study published in the journal Nature Astronomy, an international team of researchers used numerical simulations to reconstruct the collision that created Sputnik Planitia. Their analysis suggests that a planetary body approximately 435 miles (700 kilometers) in diameter collided with Pluto early in its history.

The impact likely occurred at a slanted angle, causing the planetary body to “splat” onto Pluto’s surface rather than penetrating deeply into its core. This collision resulted in the formation of Sputnik Planitia and the distinctive teardrop shape of the heart feature.

Dr. Harry Ballantyne, lead study author from the University of Bern in Switzerland,

The unique shape of Sputnik Planitia, with its elongated and low-lying profile, is attributed to both the properties of Pluto’s core and the angle of impact during the collision. The study’s findings challenge previous theories about the formation of Tombaugh Regio and provide new insights into the early history of Pluto.

The researchers also investigated the internal structure of Pluto and its implications for the migration of Sputnik Planitia over time. They proposed that the impact event caused a mass deficit, leading to the gradual movement of the basin towards the dwarf planet’s equator.

Dr. Martin Jutzi, a co-author of the study, highlighted the role of the impactor’s core in creating a local mass excess that influenced the migration of Sputnik Planitia. This explanation offers a new perspective on the basin’s location relative t

While the study presents a compelling hypothesis for the formation of Pluto’s heart-shaped feature, more research is needed to validate these findings. Future missions to Pluto could provide valuable data to further investigate the dwarf planet’s geological history and the processes that shaped its surface.

The discovery of Tombaugh Regio’s origins underscores the dynamic nature of planetary evolution and highlights the complex interactions that shape celestial bodies in our solar system. As scientists continue to unravel the mysteries of Pluto, new insights into its formation and evolution are expected to emerge, deepening our understanding of the distant worlds that populate our cosmic neighborhood.

This story was originally featured on CNN