How Arrokoth Shocked NASA Scientists

The video explores the New Horizons mission to Arakhoth, a Kuiper Belt object discovered after the spacecraft's launch. It details the mission's journey, the flyby, and the data collected. Arakhoth's unique features, such as its reddish color due to tholins and its lack of craters, are discussed. The video also covers the dynamics of the Kuiper Belt and the potential formation of Arakhoth. Finally, it highlights the future of the New Horizons mission and the mysteries that remain about Arakhoth.

What was the primary tool used by the New Horizons team to discover Arakhoth?

• Spitzer Space Telescope

• James Webb Space Telescope

• Hubble Space Telescope

• Chandra X-ray Observatory

What was the unique feature of Arakhoth's surface observed by New Horizons?

• It had a smooth, icy surface.

• It was covered in volcanic activity.

• It was relatively crater-free with a lumpy surface.

• It had a dense atmosphere.

What gives Arakhoth its reddish color?

• Abundance of tholins

• Reflective ice crystals

• Presence of iron oxide

• High concentration of carbon

What is the mystery compound found in Arakhoth's spectra?

• An unidentified compound at 1.8 micrometers

• Ammonia

• Carbon dioxide

• Methane

Why are small impact craters absent on Arakhoth?

• It has a thick atmosphere that burns up meteors.

• It is constantly resurfaced by volcanic activity.

• The Kuiper Belt has low-velocity impacts.

• It is protected by a magnetic field.

What is one theory about how Arakhoth's two lobes formed?

• They were shaped by strong winds.

• They coalesced from a cloud of ice fragments.

• They were created by high-speed collisions.

• They were formed by volcanic eruptions.

What was Arakhoth originally nicknamed?

• Kuiper Gem

• Distant Wanderer

• Pluto's Twin

• Ultima Thule

What is the density of Arakhoth?

• 1.0 g/cm³

• 0.5 g/cm³

• 2.0 g/cm³

• 1.5 g/cm³

What is the significance of Arakhoth's flatness?

• It indicates a high-speed rotation.

• It suggests a unique formation process.

• It implies a dense core.

• It shows evidence of past volcanic activity.

What is the future plan for the New Horizons mission?

• To orbit around Pluto

• To search for additional targets in the Kuiper Belt

• To return to Earth

• To land on Arakhoth