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New Horizons, Only 100 days from Pluto.

Laurie61

By Laurie61
in The Astro Lounge

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symesie04

symesie04

Posted
Posted

At this stage can we be certain on just how rocky it is though? Dont forget at the temperatures on Pluto's surface ice is harder than rock and looks very similar. To me and im certainly no planetary geologist but Pluto does seem to share some similar features as Europa and Enceledus. I just wonder if its possible that Pluto's interactions with Charon may produce enough friction to allow a liquid sub surface? Fascinating.

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barkis

barkis

Posted
Posted

As intriguing as Pluto is, and I think it's come as a bit of a surprise to many, both professionals, and amateurs alike, just

how fascinating that little world has turned out to be, I don't think a manned  mission will ever take place.

The distance is a big obstacle to be able plan a robotic lander, and have any control of it  from earth.

It's work would need pre programming, and that has to be virtually impossible.

Never say never, as the saying goes,  but  there would have to be some huge advances in 

many areas to make it a possibility.

Perhaps if a robot craft did get there, we could hope Pluto will get it's planet status back.

It deserves it anyway, just for looking so damned good  :grin:.

Ron.

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DRT

DRT

Posted
Posted

Ron,

If we roll things back four or five decades no one could have seriously imagined that in the same year man would receive data and pictures from robots in space that would land on a comet, go into orbit around the moons of other planets and and asteroid, climb mountains on Mars, fly between Pluto and its biggest moon and a few other things I am sure I have forgotten. In the same way, advances in technology, particularly artificial intelligence and efficient energy sources over the next four or five decades will allow us to do things that at them moment we just can't contemplate. You don't have to pre-programme a robot to wander around Pluto if it can think for itself :wink:

Unfortunately, it will be another generation that witness it rather than ours - but I think we have done our bit to take things a few big steps forward :smile:

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barkis

barkis

Posted
Posted

Ron,

Unfortunately, it will be another generation that witness it rather than ours - but I think we have done our bit to take things a few big steps forward :smile:

There was much I hoped for when I was a nipper. My whole being was alive with thoughts of Space, planetary journeys, and all manner

of exciting projects that might be forthcoming.

Many did of course, not least the moon landings, Robotic missions to the Planets, which left me gasping with excitement at what comes next.

I think the highlight for me was the Huygens lander on Titan, an  extraordinary scientific, and engineering feat.

Of course the Curiosity Mars Laboratory landing was a masterpiece of timing of the various stages leading up to the final touchdown.

Pure magic.

Perhaps you're right, Pluto may get a visit from a Robot craft. The technology advances very quickly  when needs must.

I think I can say I've enjoyed much since I was a lad, Time is not on my side for the Biggie though, a human presence on the Red Planet.

Many years off yet, but it will happen. I will have to make do with man on the Moon, but I'm happy with that.

Ron.

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DRT

DRT

Posted
Posted

Time is not on my side for the Biggie though, a human presence on the Red Planet.

That's surely just a stepping stone on the way to man leaving the solar system and returning to tell us what nebula look like from the inside? :wink:

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Piero

Piero

Posted
Posted

More images for Charon! 

Charon & Pluto together: 

High definition image: http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Multimedia/Science-Photos/pics/Pluto-Charon-v2-10-1-15.jpg

Source: http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Multimedia/Science-Photos/image.php?page=1&gallery_id=2&image_id=325

Charon only: 

High definition image: http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Multimedia/Science-Photos/pics/Charon-Neutral-Bright-Release.jpg

Source: http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Multimedia/Science-Photos/image.php?page=1&gallery_id=2&image_id=323

and finally, have a deep breath before watching this amazing movie! :)

http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/common/content/videos/dataMovies/Flyover-Charon-version-5b3.mp4

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Stub Mandrel

Stub Mandrel

Posted
Posted

Wow. Charon looks like it has been walloped with a cosmic sledgehammer. The diversity of terrain on Pluto is incredible, but you can see common ground between the two.

Presumably a similar 3D flyover of Pluto will be forthcoming, and I imagine that will be the biggest treat of all.

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Davey-T

Davey-T

Posted
Posted

Wow. Charon looks like it has been walloped with a cosmic sledgehammer. The diversity of terrain on Pluto is incredible, but you can see common ground between the two.

Looks like two moons stuck together.

Dave

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DRT

DRT

Posted
Posted

This is one mission that does not disappoint...

Very true. Who would have suspected that Pluto would have a blue sky?

...and water on the surface, which somehow sounds familiar to somewhere else we have been hearing about recently :wink:

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  • 3 weeks later...
LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

Posted
Posted

The banding inside the crescent of illuminated planet and even spacing of the layers make me wonder if the atmospheric 'layers' are just an  artefact of the early low-res images?

I think so. It does look like "onion skinning" in the image. The same effect can be seen in images of sunset on Mars from the mars rovers.

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visionoz

visionoz

Posted
Posted

Thanks for pointing this out! 

That's weird! Particularly since it works if one presses "Enter" in the address bar.. 

...

Reason is that there is an extra space just after the .jpg in the link you provided

HTH

Cheers

Bill

from Cloudy Perth, Down Under

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Physopto

Physopto

Posted
Posted

Yes I could not get the link to work either. I got this message

"Looks like you got lost in space.

Unfortunately the page you requested does not exist on this site anymore."

I don't think the extra space in the link causes the problem as the link is a shortened version of  actual address.

Here is the working link   http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Multimedia/Science-Photos/pics/PressImageContext_12-10-15.jpg

Great image buy the way!

Derek

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