See Pluto's moon Charon in gorgeous NASA color image - CNET

Pluto's largest moon Charon is named for the ferryman in Greek mythology who escorts souls across the rivers of Hades. Those are big shoes for Charon to fill, but it makes sense when you realize it's orbiting a dwarf planet named for the Greek ruler of the underworld. Fittingly, the moon, which measures 750 miles (1,207 kilometers) in diameter, has what NASA calls a "colorful and violent history."

That history is on display in a lovely new enhanced-color image released by NASA Thursday. The picture was taken just before the New Horizons spacecraft's historic Pluto flyby on July 14. The colors are processed to highlight surface variations.

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