Learn About the Distant Dwarf Planet Pluto

Learn About the Distant Dwarf Planet Pluto Of all the planets in the solar system, the tiny dwarf planet Pluto captures peoples attention like no other. For one thing, it was discovered in 1930 by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh. Most planets most planets were found much earlier. For another, its so distant no one knew much about it. That was true until 2015 when the New Horizons spacecraft flew by and gave gorgeous close-up images of it. However, the biggest reason Pluto is on peoples minds is for a much simpler reason: in 2006, a small group of astronomers (most of them not planetary scientists), decided to demote Pluto from being a planet. That started a huge controversy that continues to this day.   Pluto from Earth Pluto is so far away that we cant see it with the naked eye. Most desktop planetarium programs and digital apps can show observers where Pluto is, but anyone wishing to see it needs a pretty good telescope. The Hubble Space Telescope, which orbits Earth, has been able to observe it, but the great distance didnt allow a highly detailed image.   Pluto lies in a region of the solar system called the Kuiper Belt. It contains more dwarf planets, plus a collection of cometary nuclei. Planetary astronomers sometimes refer to this area as the third regime of the solar system, more distant than the terrestrial and gas giant planets.   Pluto by the Numbers As a dwarf planet, Pluto is obviously a small world. It measures 7,232 km around at its equator, which makes it smaller than Mercury and the Jovian moon Ganymede. Its much larger than its companion world Charon, which is  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹3,792  km  around.   For a long time, people thought Pluto was an ice world, which makes sense since it orbits so far from the Sun in a realm where most gases freeze to ice. Studies made by the New Horizons craft show that there is indeed a lot of ice at Pluto. However, it turns out to much denser than expected, which means it has a rocky component far beneath the icy crust.   Distance lends Pluto a certain amount of mystery since we cant see any of its features from Earth. It lies an average of 6 billion kilometers from the Sun. In reality, Plutos orbit is very elliptical (egg-shaped) and so this little world can be anywhere from 4.4 billion km to just over 7.3 billion km, depending on where it is in its orbit. Since it lies so far away from the Sun, Pluto takes 248 Earth years to make one trip around the Sun.   Pluto on the Surface Once New Horizons got to Pluto, it found a world covered with nitrogen ice in some places, along with some water ice. Some of the surface appears very dark and reddish. This is due to an organic substance that is created when ices are bombarded by ultraviolet light from the Sun. Theres a great deal of fairly young ice deposited on the surface, which comes from inside the planet. Jagged mountain peaks made of water ice rise up above flat plains and some of those mountains are as high as the Rockies.   Pluto Under the Surface So, what causes ice to ooze up from underneath Plutos surface?  Planetary scientists have a good idea that theres something heating the planet deep within the core. This mechanism is what helps pave the surface with fresh ice, and shoves up the mountain ranges. One scientist described Pluto as a giant, cosmic lava lamp. Pluto Above the Surface Like most other planets (except Mercury) Pluto has an atmosphere. Its not a very thick one, but the New Horizons spacecraft could definitely detect it.  Mission data show that the atmosphere, which is mostly nitrogen, is replenished as nitrogen gas escapes from the planet. Theres also evidence that material escaping from Pluto manages to land on Charon and collect around its polar cap. Over time, that material is darkened by solar ultraviolet light, too.   Plutos Family Along with Charon, Pluto sports a retinue of tiny moons called Styx, Nix, Kerberos, and Hydra. Theyre oddly shaped and appear to be captured by Pluto after a gigantic collision in the distant past. In keeping with naming conventions used by astronomers, the moons are named from creatures associated with the god of the underworld, Pluto.  Styx is the river that dead souls  cross to get to Hades. Nix is the Greek goddess of darkness, while Hydra was a many-headed serpent. Kerberos is an alternate spelling for Cerberus, the so-called hound of Hades who guarded the gates to the underworld in mythology. Whats Next for Pluto Exploration? There are no further missions being built to go to Pluto. There are plans on the drawing board for one or more that could go out this distant outpost in the solar systems Kuiper Belt and possibly even land there.

Secret Methods of Writing an Argumentative Essay

Secret Methods of Writing an Argumentative Essay Most students note that analytical essays take too much time and effort. Its one of the most challenging tasks. Along with that, if you write a blueprint of the structure, and figure out in what order its better to sort your claims, such a process will become much simpler. We suggest that you dont like to stare at the blank Word page for hours, so you can check various online sources devoted to argumentative writings and get some creative ideas. However, many sources of such a kind provide you with complicated advices which are hard to follow. This is a reason why we decided to describe a secret method that can improve your writing with no extra effort. Generally, it is based on analogies. Analogies help you understand the more general meaning of your entire work. Here is an example of a good analogy: your readers are a cat who wants you to feed it with tasty and fresh information. Now imagine it and get some cat food with our help. Introduction Most writers agree that the introduction is extremely important. Thats not a surprise because this is the first thing that your readers see, and the impression from the introduction affects their impression of the entire paper. To feed your cat with the best food, pay your attention to the all details, especially to the hook. It is the first sentence of your essay, and thats what can help you get some fish for your cat. There are several types of hooks, but they have one thing in common good hooks grab your readers attention and motivate them to keep reading. Lets take a look at the most common hook types: Quotes; Questions; Analogies; Philosophical statements; Facts; Anecdotes; Stories from the first person. Choose any one of these types, and just make sure that it fits your topic and your writing style. Once you hooked your readers, you must provide them with the background information on your subject, to make sure that your audience understands the context of your paper and is familiar with all the specific details. One of the most common mistakes is assuming that your readers know as much about your topic as you do. Dont provide them with detailed and sophisticated data in the introduction section, just write a necessarily brief summary, and go further. You also have to explain why your topic is important, and how your paper may help others who are interested in this subject. Usually, introductions end with a thesis statement its a backbone of your paper, all your arguments and claims must be directly related to this idea. Obviously, its not really easy to write a good thesis statement, but if you take into account our advice, you wont feel any troubles with it. Our advice is simple dont make your thesis too broad. The broader your thesis statement, the more information you need to prove and support it. Nobody wants to read a huge text which is basically about nothing in particular. Introducing your key statement, you can also give a brief description of arguments that youre going to use, to help your readers understand why you choose this point of view. Sometimes, a thesis statement may be even longer than one sentence. Just make sure that it expresses your point clearly, and its not too long. Build Your Argumentation A practice of using three arguments to support your point is quite old and common, because it really works. If you have three paragraphs, each one of which provides readers with a strong argument described in details, your point will look persuasive and strong. This is exactly what you need. At the same time, dont forget that you shouldnt be focused only on your point. We suggest mentioning a few strongest counterarguments, to let your readers understand why an opposite point is wrong. Here is an effective method: describe advantages and disadvantages of the idea. Introduce an opposite point, and rewrite your thesis statement right after that. Another extremely important thing is that if you write something, it must be supported by good evidence. Never count on your readers to just believe you. Prepare for the critical perception, and make all that you can to overcome it. Your evidence must be informative, credible, and relevant. To get enough facts, we suggest preparing for writing and collecting as much information as possible. Along with this, avoid common mistakes that can destroy your paper: Making up facts this is probably the worst thing you can do. Dont even try to fool your audience. All of your readers and instructors can check any fact any time they want, so dont fail because of the lie. Being highly emotional. Emotions are good for narrative essays, but not for argumentative essays. Rely on facts only, and dont be emotional. We also suggest moving from one thought to another through transitional phrases. Such an approach will allow your readers to follow your line of thoughts naturally, without missing any logical details. Dont be afraid to remind them your thesis statement a couple times, it helps stay focused on general ideas of your paper and on thoughts written in any paragraph in particular. Conclusion Once you provided your readers with all necessary information, you have to push them to conclusions. All information must be systematized, so that your audience could get your point clear and have something to think about, after reading. Essays that motivate readers to think are always successful, so make sure that your conclusion section is really good, and your entire paper makes a strong impression. To do it well, follow three simple rules: Repeat your thesis once again. It will help you explain why your claims are really important. Explain what will happen if people dont take your side regarding this issue. This is a really good thing in case youre writing about a controversial issue that is related to the society, politics, health, environment, and so on. Summarize your arguments and explain how they prove your point. Your essay must be persuasive, and all arguments must be tied to your general idea. If you follow our simple advice and do everything right, your essay will get highest grades. Dont be afraid of such a kind of writing task, because everyone is able to cope with it. All you need is practice and a proper writing method.