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As part of their research, Kelsi Singer of the Southwest Research Institute and the New Horizons team proposed the names for two structures in the cryovolcanic region honoring aviation pioneers Bessie Coleman, the first African American and Native American woman to earn a pilot’s license, and Sally Ride, the first American woman in space. The International Astronomical Union approved the names Coleman Mons and Ride Rupes in October 2021. Coleman Mons was key to understanding this region because it may be one of the most recently formed volcanic domes. Ride Rupes is one of the tallest and longest cliffs on Pluto and indicates there may be deep faulting in the area that could allow cryolava to flow up from the subsurface. The elevation values in this region range more than 8 kilometers (nearly 5 miles) from the highest areas in red/orange to the lowest areas in pink/white.
For more information: http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/News-Article.php?page=20211025

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