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What celestial object or planet has a frigid crust of solid nitrogen ice with traces of frozen methane and carbon monoxide?

User AnnanFay
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Final answer:

Pluto has a crust of solid nitrogen ice with traces of frozen methane and carbon monoxide due to its extreme distance from the Sun and very low surface temperatures that allow these gases to freeze.

Step-by-step explanation:

The celestial object with a frigid crust of solid nitrogen ice, with traces of frozen methane and carbon monoxide, is Pluto.

Pluto is well known for its extreme distance from the Sun, which results in very low surface temperatures. These low temperatures allow gases that would normally be vaporous in warmer climates, such as nitrogen and methane, to freeze into a solid state. This freezing point is a result of the balance between temperature and atmospheric pressure. As Pluto orbits the Sun, its distance varies, allowing for a slow escape of some gases when closer to the Sun, yet this does not prevent the formation of extensive ice plains and the persistence of frozen volatiles.

Pluto's surface is characterized by these vast plains of nitrogen ice, which were observed in detail by the New Horizons mission in 2015. This mission provided unprecedented insights into Pluto's geology and atmospheric composition, showing that its icy crust is not just static but also appears to be geologically active with features such as nitrogen glaciers and a complex atmosphere where nitrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide gases are present.

User Austen
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