6:29
- ABC News
- July 14, 2015
Ashes of Astronomer Who Discovered Pluto on Board New Horizons
Clyde Tombaugh noticed a speck of light that was Pluto in 1930.
After its 3-billion mile journey across the solar system, New Horizons made its closest approach to Pluto today at 7:49 a.m. ET.
The space probe is traveling at an approximate speed of 30,800 miles per hour and won't stop as it whizzes past Pluto. At its closest approach, New Horizons will be 7,750 miles above the surface of Pluto, approximately the distance between New York and Mumbai, India.
It's expected the team on Earth will get its first look at photos and information later today and early Wednesday since information from New Horizons takes 4.5 hours to reach Earth.
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