Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

Pluto flyby: Watch the New Horizons mission live

Watch live: the New Horizons Pluto flyby.

The New Horizons spacecraft is about to fly by Pluto — passing within 7,750 miles of the dwarf planet at 7:49 am ET Tuesday.

We won’t be able to see live photos of the flyby, because the craft will be focusing on collecting data, rather than transmitting it, and it takes 4.5 hours for any data it sends back to reach Earth. But NASA TV will be broadcasting live coverage of the event, with commentary and explanation from scientists, and you can watch it right here.

pluto trajectory

(JHU/APL)

We’ll see the first photos of the flyby — showing us Pluto up close for the first time ever — Wednesday afternoon. Over the coming months, hundreds of other photos and scientific data will trickle in, allowing scientists to better understand Pluto and how it formed billions of years ago.

A photo posted by NASA (@nasa) on

New Horizons' last photo of Pluto before the flyby, taken at 4 pm ET on July 13.

See More:

More in Science

Future Perfect
Human bodies aren’t ready to travel to Mars. Space medicine can help.Human bodies aren’t ready to travel to Mars. Space medicine can help.
Future Perfect

Protecting astronauts in space — and maybe even Mars — will help transform health on Earth.

By Shayna Korol
Podcasts
The importance of space toilets, explainedThe importance of space toilets, explained
Podcast
Podcasts

Houston, we have a plumbing problem.

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Sean Rameswaram
Climate
How climate science is sneakily getting funded under TrumpHow climate science is sneakily getting funded under Trump
Climate

Scientists are keeping their climate work alive by any other name.

By Kate Yoder, Ayurella Horn-Muller and 1 more
Good Medicine
You can’t really “train” your brain. Here’s what you can do instead.You can’t really “train” your brain. Here’s what you can do instead.
Good Medicine

The best ways to protect your cognitive health might surprise you.

By Dylan Scott
Future Perfect
Humanity’s return to the moon is a deeply religious missionHumanity’s return to the moon is a deeply religious mission
Future Perfect

Space barons like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk don’t seem religious. But their quest to colonize outer space is.

By Sigal Samuel
Health
Why the new GLP-1 pill is such a big dealWhy the new GLP-1 pill is such a big deal
Health

The FDA just approved Foundayo. Here’s what it can and can’t do.

By Dylan Scott