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26 May, 2016 18:32

Out of this world: Amazing virtual reality tour of Pluto in unbelievable detail (360 VIDEO)

Out of this world: Amazing virtual reality tour of Pluto in unbelievable detail (360 VIDEO)

You can now take a virtual reality tour of Pluto, less than a year after the New Horizons probe made history by becoming the first spacecraft to explore the planet up close.

In July of 2015, after nine-and-a-half-years of travel, New Horizons flew within 12,500km (7,800m) of Pluto’s surface, and since then has been delivering stunning images and ground-breaking data of the previously relatively unknown dwarf planet. 

READ MORE: Hubble Telescope’s ‘eagle eye’ camera finds new moon orbiting Pluto-like dwarf planet

Less than a year later, the data collected by New Horizons was used to build a virtual reality tour of Pluto that allows viewers to explore the planet with a spectacularly in-depth and interactive 360 degree video.

The New York Times along with the Universities Space Research Association and the Lunar and Planetary Institute have released the ‘Seeking Pluto’s Frigid Heart’ video that can be viewed on smartphones, computers - and for the serious space enthusiast – a VR headset.

READ MORE: Cluster of bright “halo” craters spotted on Pluto (PHOTO)

The great news is there is plenty more where that came from: researchers have only processed half of New Horizon’s images and measurements so far.

With new data expected to be arriving until October, scientists will be uncovering exciting Pluto discoveries for years to come.

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