New Horizons Pluto Encounter

[Scepticalscribe]

Considering that Triton and Pluto seem to share a lot of similar surface features, that may not be such a unusual suggestion.

New Horizons is reviving a lot of the excitement we remember from the Voyager missions from the late 1970's to later 1980's. And to think if they had went with the original flyby plan for Voyager 1, we would have gotten pictures from Pluto by 1990-1991.

That's absolutely true.

'Excitement' is the correct term; these day, not much can 'excite' me - as I dwell - not uncomfortably - in the state of slightly world weary middle age. However, this story has me agog, and yes, unashamedly excited.

 

[S.B.G]

That's absolutely true.

'Excitement' is the correct term; these day, not much can 'excite' me - as I dwell - not uncomfortably - in the state of slightly world weary middle age. However, this story has me agog, and yes, unashamedly excited.

Yeah, I agree. I'm excited to see Pluto as well. Space exploration always fascinates me and it's why I love reading books about it in non-fiction and fiction, like the Honor Harrington series.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Just under 3 days until rendezvous! I am very excited to see what they learn from this.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Just a couple more days!!!!

 

[ucfgrad93]

Came across an interesting article on USAToday.com.

Come Tuesday, Clyde Tombaugh will pass within 7,800 miles of the icy world he discovered 85 years ago.

His ashes are flying on NASA's New Horizons spacecraft on humanity's first journey to Pluto.

New Horizons also is carrying a 1991 U.S. postage stamp that's about to become obsolete — it trumpets "Pluto Not Yet Explored" — as well as two state quarters, one representing Florida, home of the launch site, and the other Maryland, headquarters for the spacecraft developers and flight control.

In all, nine small mementos are tucked aboard New Horizons.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/07/12/pluto-clyde-tombaugh-ashes-nasa/30050515/

 

[aaronvan]

Probes are: sitting on a comet, circling an asteroid, exploring the surface of Mars, and now approaching Pluto. These are heady days for planetary exploration.

 

[obeygiant]

What a legacy Clyde Tombaugh has!

 

[S.B.G]

This photo is at about 1 million miles out. As of an hour ago it is now at 867, 357 miles out.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Yes, I checked to see where it was earlier this morning. This is fascinating.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Less than a day away from the flyby!!!!! It is supposed to happen around 7:50 am ET.

 

[Sydde]

I am kind of disappointed. I mean, beige? What a pathetic color for a world of mystery.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I am kind of disappointed. I mean, beige? What a pathetic color for a world of mystery.

Well, you know, if it wasn't for its amazing and crazy rings, and a few fascinating moons, the same might have been said about Saturn, a big, vaguely beige, sort of featureless mass of something with a stupendous lack of density and body.

But the fly-by - as expected - was awesome, as I imagine this will be. Moreover, we will be digesting what New Horizons (in my more misanthropic moments, I am inclined to think that sounds a bit like the name of an unusually dodgy political party) sends back to us over the coming months.

 

[aaronvan]

WaPost: "Better images will land Tuesday morning, with the best coming Wednesday afternoon if all goes as planned. But already, scientists are ecstatic about the increasingly vivid images of Pluto and Charon."

 

[bradl]

Local NPR station was reporting this morning that NH was flying at around 9 miles/second (roughly 32,000mph), and that with Pluto being on the edge of the Kuiper belt, they were worried about even the slightest grain of sand or ice colliding with NH, as that could potentially sever a critical cable, making the past 10 years all for naught.

http://ww2.kqed.org/science/2015/07/13/at-last-nasa-spacecraft-captures-a-close-up-of-pluto/

I'm hoping that that doesn't happen; as is, they would already have to play dodge ball with NH, with a near 6 hour delay for NH to receive any instructions from Ames.

BL.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Less than 12 hours to go!

 

[bradl]

Less than 12 hours to go!

Question.. is the picture coming from their site, or the NASA App that was mentioned over at 9to5Mac?

BL.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Question.. is the picture coming from their site, or the NASA App that was mentioned over at 9to5Mac?

BL.

It is a screenshot of my Sky Guide app.

 

[bradl]

It is a screenshot of my Sky Guide app.

Thanks. I'll pick that one up. I was looking at this:

http://9to5mac.com/2015/07/13/new-horizons-mac-app-simulator/

And thought that was what you were using.

BL.

 

[aaronvan]

It is a screenshot of my Sky Guide app.

How'd you get that? The only artificial thing I can find is Iridium flares.

 

[Sydde]

That big search engine thingy has an animated gif or something on their main page showing the flyby. The zoobie noodle or w/e they call it.

 

[aaronvan]

I figured it out. Gotta hit the "I"

 

[JamesMike]

The people working on the project must be over the moon, (Pluto)!

 

[juanm]

I think I might have posted this before, but it's really worth watching. We all love beautiful artist renditions of foreign planets like the ones we see in National Geographic Magazine. This guy took it to the next level, using NASA textures and data, and added the voice of Carl Sagan. Put your headphones on.

Wanderers - a short film by Erik Wernquist:

 

[JamesMike]

I think I might have posted this before, but it's really worth watching. We all love beautiful artist renditions of foreign planets like the ones we see in National Geographic Magazine. This guy took it to the next level, using NASA textures and data, and added the voice of Carl Sagan. Put your headphones on.

Wanderers - a short film by Erik Wernquist:

Thank you for the excellent video!

 

[ucfgrad93]

Almost there!!