Ep 1. Pluto's Strange Secrets

Pluto's Strange Secrets is the first episode of the fifth season of Space's Deepest Secrets. This episode focuses on the dwarf planet Pluto, which was once considered the ninth planet of our solar system but was later reclassified as a "dwarf planet." Despite being the smallest and farthest away from the Sun, scientists have been fascinated by Pluto and have spent nearly a century studying it.

The episode begins with a brief history of Pluto; how it was discovered by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930, how it was classified as a planet, and eventually reclassified. We are introduced to scientists who have been studying Pluto and its surroundings through the new data collected by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft.

The episode delves into the mysteries and secrets that have been unearthed by the New Horizons mission. We learn about Pluto's strange and unique atmosphere, made up of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane. The atmosphere is much thinner than Earth's, and it has a blue color. We also learn about the intense radiation storms that take place on Pluto. These storms cause the upper atmosphere to glow and interact with the solar wind.

One of the most intriguing discoveries about Pluto is its heart-shaped feature. The feature is aptly named "Tombaugh Regio" after Pluto's discoverer, and it is a large, bright, heart-shaped area on the planet's surface. Scientists believe that the heart-shaped feature is made up of nitrogen ice, but they still do not know why it is heart-shaped. The episode explores the different theories surrounding the origin of the feature.

The episode also analyzes the dark spots on Pluto's surface. These spots are called "Cthulhu Regio" and "Mordor Macula," and they are dark, irregularly-shaped areas. Scientists believe that the spots are a result of methane gassing out of Pluto's interior and freezing on the surface. However, more research is needed to confirm this theory.

The episode also introduces us to Pluto's moons; Charon, Nix, Hydra, Kerberos, and Styx. We learn about the strange and unique features of each moon, and how studying them can provide insight into Pluto's history. For example, Charon has a large canyon called the "Great Crack," which is four times longer than the Grand Canyon. Scientists believe that the canyon was formed by a massive impact that nearly broke the moon in half.

The episode concludes with the exciting news that NASA has approved another mission to Pluto. The new mission, called "Pluto Kuiper Express," will launch in 2021 and will study Pluto's Kuiper Belt neighbors, which are icy bodies that lie beyond Neptune's orbit. The mission will also study the physical and chemical properties of Pluto's atmosphere and surface in more detail.

Overall, Pluto's Strange Secrets is an interesting and informative episode that sheds light on some of the mysteries and secrets of Pluto. The episode is filled with stunning visuals and interviews with leading scientists, making it an excellent resource for anyone interested in space exploration and astronomy.