Pluto colour image captured by New Horizons spacecraft

Scientists have released the first colour imageof Pluto and its largest moon Charon ever taken by an approaching spacecraft.

The photowasreleased ata news conference on Tuesdayto discuss the spacecraft New Horizons, which took the image, and its nearing of Pluto.

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No spacecraft has ever visited Pluto. Scientists are hoping that will change on July 14, when NASA's New Horizons probe is expected to fly within 9,978 km (6,200 miles) of the dwarf planet after a nine-year journey.

Alan Stern, a New Horizons scientist, spoke about the historic project with excitement.

"This is a small, compact, highly advanced spacecraft. A real 21st century exploration spacecraft with tremendous capability, that's in almost, almost the most wonderful place you can ever imagine you can be as a scientist," Stern said.

"The spacecraft is in perfect health, it's full of fuel and it's carrying a scientific arsenal of seven instruments that are combined the most powerful suite of scientific instruments ever brought to bear on the first reconnaissance of a new planet. Nothing like this has been done in a quarter century and nothing like this is planned by any space agency, ever again. This is a real moment in time."

Stern said that next month, as New Horizons nears Pluto, it will start taking the most detailed photos ever seen of it. The craft will begin sending back atmospheric data on Pluto in May, and data on the dwarf planet's surface composition in June.

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