See pics: Icy ‘spider’ on Pluto!

New Delhi: NASA has released a beautiful image of Pluto where an unusual geological feature, resembling a giant spider is sprawling across the planet's icy landscape.

This unusual spider-like feature consists of at least six extensional fractures that converge to a point. The individual fractures can reach hundreds of miles long and appear to expose a reddish subsurface layer.

New Horizons scientists think that the fractures seen elsewhere on Pluto are caused by global-scale extension of the dwarft planet’s water–ice crust.

The image was obtained at a range of approximately 21,100 miles (33,900 kilometers) from Pluto, about 45 minutes before New Horizons’ closest approach on July 14, 2015.

Photo Credits: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

(Source: NASA)