New Horizons I (and II!) Mission Update Thread

[3488]

Charon as seen from Pluto.<br /><br />Wednesday 18th July 2007 @ 6:00 PM GMT / 7:00 PM CET. <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Pluto as seen from Charon. <br /><br />Wednesday 18th July 2007 @ 6:00 PM GMT / 7:00 PM CET. <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[rybanis]

Ooooh, cool. I love the last view, of Charon looking towards Pluto...out there is Voyager II... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Waaaaaay out there!<br />Voyager 2 is currently 83.3 AU from the sun!! <br />Moving about 3.3 AU further away each year. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Hi Rybanis.<br /><br />In three days time, Charon will line up with Voyager 2 as seen from Pluto.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Sun & inner solar system as seen from Pluto. <br /><br />Note how the solar system appears to float above Orion.<br /><br />Wednesday 18th July 2007 @ 7:00 PM GMT / 8:00 PM CET. <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[rybanis]

Interesting about Orion. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't pointed that out! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[3488]

Hi Rybanis,<br /><br />Yes it does look a bit strange. Orion appears to have the solar system balanced on his <br />head.<br /><br />In fact from Pluto, the Sun is actually in front of Orion's Club, tucked in between<br />Taurus & Gemini.<br /><br />Familiar constellations & objects, but from a very alien viewpoint.<br /><br />Very weird, but very, very interesting.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

New Horizon encounter sims.<br /><br />Tuesday 14th July 2015 @ 9:15 AM GMT.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Tuesday 14th July 2015 @ 11:00 AM GMT. <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Tuesday 14th July 2015 @ 12:00 PM GMT.<br /><br />Closest approach. <br /><br />Note how large Pluto appears. Nearly 24 times wider than the Moon appears to us.<br /><br />Note how Pluto appaers about the same size as the 'bowl' of the Big Dipper / Plough<br />seen above Pluto.<br /><br />Arcturus / Alpha Bootis appears just above Charon.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Tuesday 14th July 2015 @ 12:30 PM GMT. <br /><br />Already shrinking. <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Tuesday 14th July 2015 @ 12:50 PM GMT. <br /><br />Pluto eclipsing the Sun. <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

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Tuesday 14th July 2015 @ 2:00 PM GMT. <br /><br />Charon in conjuction with the Sun. <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Tuesday 14th July 2015 @ 3:30 PM GMT. <br /><br />Both Pluto & Charon are now well receding. <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[rybanis]

Then its onward and outward. Hopefully they will have a KBO object or two to look at. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[jmilsom]

A great update has just been posted by PI Alan Stern on the mission site:<br /><br />PI's Persepctive August 1<br /><br />It starts:<br /><br /><i>Since I last wrote here, in mid-June, New Horizons has continued its speedy journey from Jupiter’s orbit (at 5.2 astronomical units) toward Saturn’s at 9.5 AU. On average, we travel about a third of an astronomical unit each month, or roughly a million miles per day. So, as August begins, we’re nearing the halfway point in the Jupiter-to-Saturn leg of our journey, set to reach 7 AU on Aug. 6. We’ll pass Saturn’s orbit (but not Saturn, which will be far away from our path) next June.</i><br /><br />I continue to be amazed by the speed of the NH1. Can you believe it is almost halfway to Saturn's orbit. Amazing.<br /><br />NH1 has been in hibernation most of this time, but was woken up for 9 days starting July 12. During this period they tested the Solar Occultation Port (SOCC). To quote again:<br /><br /><i>The highlight of the mid-July wakeup period was the opening of the solar occultation port (SOCC) on the Alice UV spectrometer. This was the last of the seven instrument aperture doors we opened on New Horizons. Like the other openings, this one also went smoothly. Now, Alice can use its pinhole-sized SOCC aperture to stop down the intensity of sunlight by a factor of about 6,000, making it possible to trace the density and composition of Pluto’s atmosphere versus altitude without blinding the detector. After opening the door, the spectrometer gathered its first-light SOCC spectrum by observing the B star Bellatrix.</i><br /><br />NH1 is in hibernation again, but will be woken up on August 16 for three months of intensive activities that will include a small course correction manoeuvre:<br /><br />Full Article Here <br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[h2ouniverse]

Hi,<br /><br />At more than 3 AU/year, the speed is indeed high by today's standards. This being said, this is frustrating that we cannot reach higher speeds. There are now indeed many interesting targets in KB and beyond...<br />To get to EL61 or Eris (not with NH1! but other missions), we would need respectively 15 and 30 years!!! The situation is desperate. We need a new propulsion!