The high definition photos that are coming back from the New Horizons probe are showing incredible detail of Pluto. Hills and valleys come through with amazing close views of the topography. What was once a distant planet, and then not a planet, is now being showcased as a whole new world.
But it's not just about the geography. The images that were captured by the probe show another part of Pluto that scientists knew must exist, but had no idea of the specifics. Now they do. Starting with the atmosphere. It's densely packed with up to twelve different layers. Images show evidence of hydrological features that produce weather at the surface. Glaciers on Pluto seem to act much like those on Earth, with patterns that are similar to those that feed the ice caps on Earth.