New Horizons: Jupiter Encounter. Through 2007.

scottb50 · Mar 1, 2007

For an ion drive to brake an orbiter at Pluto it would have to start passing Jupiter. Where it might help would be thrusting for the entire trip which would lessen the velocity needed at initial launch and could allow enough propellant to brake into orbit once reaching a destination. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

thalion · Mar 1, 2007

Re Portercc: The Jupiter system will have a billion-year sweet spot between the Sun's first and second ascents of the red giant branch, when it will get more sunlight than Venus does now...

jmilsom · Mar 1, 2007

Hi Andrew, Is that taken from the Feb26 image? Or the Feb 28 one? I am just looking at the Feb 28 one now. IMAGE HERE It is absolutely beautiful. How fortunate is that to get such an excellent image during the flyby. I understand that the Tvashtar plume was just detected by Hubble two weeks ago. In the description that accompanies the latest image they are saying the plume is 290km high. Two other plumes Prometheus and Masubi are also visible in the Feb28 image. These are just the appetisers. NH1 will be sending many more images over the coming weeks and months that are stored onboard. Congratulations to the NH1 team for a flawlessly executed manoeuvre! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

brellis · Mar 1, 2007

I second that, newsartist. We owe you one, Andrew! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I'm a recovering optimist - things could be better. </div>

portercc · Mar 1, 2007

Andrew, Excellent job on Ganymede image!

3488 · Mar 2, 2007

Hi all below is an annoted Io LORRI image I did last night. Below. Annotated New Horizons LORRI image of the volcanic Jupiter moon Io. Presented to New Horizons on Monday 26th February 2007 at 8:40 AM GMT from a range of 4.1 million kilometres / 2.5 million miles, Io showed off some of the most imposing features in the outer solar system. The eruptions on Io are in three broad types, Pillanian, Promethean & Lokian. The volcanoes Thor, Tvashtar & Pillan are of the most violent Pillanian type, with plumes rising up to 500 kilometres / 311 miles & their eruptions tend to be very short lived.. The Promethean type are less violent with maximum plume heights of 200 kilometres / 124 miles, but the eruptions are long lived. These tend to have long lava flows, such as the Prometheus volcano & Amirani. The third Lokian type are calderas & lava lakes. They tend not to eject lava, but have active lakes of lava. There are many of these although Loki & Tupan are by far the largest examples. New Horizons has viewed at least one of each type (Tvashtar, Amirani & Gish Bar Patera respectively) Firstly Tvashtar, a giant high latitude northern hemisphere volcano, a Pillanian type volcano, at the time throwing a plume some 240 kilometres / 150 miles tall. Tvashtar is not a mountain, but a volcanic gash in the crust of Io Amirani, a Promethean type volcano is the site of the largest & longest known lava flows in the solar system. Hi’iaka Patera is another volcanic wound in the crust (Lokian type), but is also close to the site of some of the tallest known mountains in the outer solar system, Hi’iaka Mons next to Hi’iaka Patera rising some 11,000 metres / 36,100 feet.above the surrounding plains. Io is home to some of the tallest mountains known. One mountain rises a colossal 13,500 metres / 45,000 feet, putting our own Mount Everest (8,849 metres / 29,035 feet) in the shade <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "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". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

3488 · Mar 2, 2007

Below Also I had done this annotaed image of Ganymede, as for Io above. Annotated New Horizons LORRI image of the giant Jupiter moon Ganymede. Presented to New Horizons on Tuesday 27th February 2007 at 10:01 AM GMT from a range of 3.5 million kilometres / 2.2 million miles. New Horizons imaged various terrain types on this large ice covered, rock & metal moon. Nicholson Regio, Mysia Sulci, Perrine Regio & Serapis are old, primitive areas, the ice is `dirty’ from billions of years of meteoric dust, with impact craters excavating `cleaner ice’ from beneath the surface. The lighter areas, seen by New Horizons, such as Kulla Bigeh Facula & Ninevah Sulcus, have seen tectonic fracturing, lateral faulting & in a few places possibly cryovolcanism (volcanoes that erupt slushy ice, not molten rock) in the past. Ganymede is not thought to be currently active, but was as recently as one billion years ago. Even here, more recent impact craters have excavated `cleaner ice’ such as Cisti, Hah-hunti, Nin-lil & Tros. Ganymede appeared to have a flush of warmth about 1 GY ago, for reasons not understood. Ganymede may have been jostled into a temporary more elliptical orbit around Jupiter, thus the tidal heating initiated limited geological activity. My own problem with this idea, is that why was Ganymede affected but not the large outer neighbour Callisto (Jupiter's second largest moon & the solar system's third largest, after Ganymede & Saturn's Titan)? I think personally Ganymede was active from its birth, up to about 1 GY ago. After all, Ganymede is nearly 75% the diameter of Mars, larger than the planet Mercury & is heavily differentiated. The fact that Ganymede possesses an internally driven magnetosphere, completely independent of Jupiter's, still suggests that the core of Ganymede even today is at least partially molten. Ganymede has an internally driven magnetic fi <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "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". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

3488 · Mar 2, 2007

This dramatic image of Io was taken by the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) on New Horizons at 11:04 Universal Time on February 28, 2007, just about 5 hours after the spacecraft's closest approach to Jupiter. The distance to Io was 2.5 million kilometers (1.5 million miles) and the image is centered at 85 degrees west longitude. At this distance, one LORRI pixel subtends 12 kilometers (7.4 miles) on Io. This processed image provides the best view yet of the enormous 290-kilometer (180-mile) high plume from the volcano Tvashtar, in the 11 o'clock direction near Io's north pole. The plume was first seen by the Hubble Space Telescope two weeks ago and then by New Horizons on February 26; this image is clearer than the February 26 image because Io was closer to the spacecraft, the plume was more backlit by the Sun, and a longer exposure time (75 milliseconds versus 20 milliseconds) was used. Io's dayside was deliberately overexposed in this picture to image the faint plumes, and the long exposure also provided an excellent view of Io's night side, illuminated by Jupiter. The remarkable filamentary structure in the Tvashtar plume is similar to details glimpsed faintly in 1979 Voyager images of a similar plume produced by Io's volcano Pele. However, no previous image by any spacecraft has shown these mysterious structures so clearly. The image also shows the much smaller symmetrical fountain of the plume, about 60 kilometers (or 40 miles) high, from the Prometheus volcano in the 9 o'clock direction. The top of a third volcanic plume, from the volcano Masubi, erupts high enough to catch the setting Sun on the night side near the bottom of the image, appearing as an irregular bright patch against Io's Jupiter-lit surface. Several Everest-sized mountains are highlighted by the setting Sun along the terminator, the line between day and night. This is the last of a handful of LORRI images that New Horizons is sending "home" during its busy <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "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". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

rlb2 · Mar 3, 2007

I used the below link and enlarged the image from the New Horizon of the huge volcanic plume on Io, of course I couldn’t help myself I sharpened and colored the image a bit..... http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=23514 <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Ron Bennett </div>

MeteorWayne · Mar 3, 2007

Both you and Andrew have my thanks for your superb efforts and information supply. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

rlb2 · Mar 3, 2007

Thanks, glad to contribute to this forum. _____________________________________________ Here is a what-if statement, kind of the like the chicken and the egg thing. What if Jupiter didn't have such a huge gravity well to catch all Io's ejected volcanic debris, a large amount of it had enough kinetic energy to leave Io's orbit. Earth and the other planets would be in a world of hurt from all that debris floating around. Other Jovian worlds like Ganymede, Europa, etc., etc, are being constantly pelted by this stuff. I wonder if we will see some new cracks in Europas Ice sheet now from some of Io's larger debris impacting its surface, keep Hubble healthy - stay tuned. Ut-O-O-O-O we may have to redo our modeling of cratering around the gas giants.... That’s the chicken part, here is the egg - it takes a lot of tidal forces thanks to Io's sister moons tugging on this landlocked world to heat it up therefore if Jupiter wasn't there Io would be a cold and dissolute world today - or would it? If Io was in a three world gravity system with Ganymede, and Europa then volcanic debris like the one above could escape that gravity well. Was this what happened early on in our own part of the solar system, not only did Earth have to deal with the remnants of our solar systems formation but also with impact craters created from trading spit with Mercury, Venus, the Moon, and Mars. Earth and Venus would need quite a large amount of kinetic energy to have any of it mass escape its gravity well but Mars, Mercury, and the moon wouldn't need as much, remember the moon was a lot closer to the Earth billions of years ago than it is today, lot stronger tidal forces if unlocked. Some scientist think the moon may still have dormant volcanoes... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Ron Bennett </div>

3488 · Mar 5, 2007

Hi to you both MeteorWayne & rlb2. Thanks to you both for your kind comments. rlb2 you Io images are FANTASTIC!! I think the colours you used are more or less correct. I hope that you do not mind, but I have downloaded them. If I use them on further discussions, you WILL be acknowledged, provided I have your permission!!!. You are correct in your posts. Indeed Io does contaminate its neighbours quite heavily. Both Voyager 1 & Voyager 2 showed Amalthea to be very red, particulalry the slopes & mountain sides that face Io when suitably placed. Using this logic, Thebe, Adrastea & Metis too should be red. Some contaminents have even been found in Jupiter's clouds!!!!! Also much of the ice surface of Europa is also contaminated, some of it reacting with Europa's own chemistry to produce Sulphuric Acid. Io's sulphur has also been detected on both Ganymede & Callisto too. The chicken & the egg arguement is a good one. I wonder too, if Jupiter was not there, if Io would be cold & inactive. What we do not know as yet, is the amount of internal radiactive materials. Io is dense (about 3.65 g/cm2), the densest of all of the moons in the solar system & not far short of the density of Mars. Ioalso has the stongest surface gravity of any moon in the solar system, some 18.40 % of Earth's Yes, it is true, that some selenologists (lunar geologists), believe that some of the moon's volvanoes are just dormant, not extinct & the same therefore would be true of Mars. Lets see when the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter arrives. Will see if there are young lava flows!!! The moon too is dense, only second to Io in density & surface gravity of all of the moons in the solar system. Below. Blow up & enhancement of the Io Tvashtar volcanic plume, as seen by New Horizons (probably not as good as yours rlb2). On Wednesday 28th February 2007 at 11:04 AM GMT / 6:04 AM EST, the P <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "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". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

3488 · Mar 5, 2007

Below. Blow up & enhancement of the Io Prometheus volcanic plume, as seen by New Horizons. On Wednesday 28th February 2007 at 11:04 AM GMT / 6:04 AM EST, the Pluto bound New Horizons spacecraft had just passed Perijove (the closest approach to Jupiter) & imaged the violently volcanic moon Io. This plume is about 64 kilometres / 40 miles tall, the source of which, the volcano Prometheus is just over the limb. Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "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". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

3488 · Mar 5, 2007

It thought that the below, might be of interest, seeing as New Horizons did image Hi'iaka Montes & Patera. Perhaps, Io tried to start Plate Tectonics????? Io Hi’iaka Patera & Mons. New Horizons blow up & enhanced view inset & Galileo orbiter high resolution view, large image to right. Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "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". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

3488 · Mar 5, 2007

Below. Anotated New Horizons LORRI image of the ice covered moon Europa, I did last night. Much speculation at the moment about the possibility of a sub ice ocean, possibly 100 kilometres / 61 miles deep, overlaying a mantle of silicate rock, in turn surrounding a metal core. At first glance, Europa appears as smooth as a billiard ball. Further, higher resolution images from the Galileo orbiter revealed, hills, valleys & ridges. Callinish Macula seen on the New Horizons image, is an impact site, where the impacting body punctured Europa's ice crust, exposing the suposed ocean below. The feature today is the ice filled crater left behind. The most interesting area revealed by the Galileo orbiter, is also seen in this New Horizons image, Conamara Chaos. This areai is the site of terrain, that looks like arctic pack ice frozen in place. Ice rafts have rotated & tilted. So far this is the most convincing visual proof of a sub ice ocean. Other evidence points to 'arctuate scarps', suggesting that the ice surface is 'decoupled' from the interior, i.e not physically attached to the silicate mantle, perhaps floating on liquid? One suggestion is that the core & mantle of Europa is tidally locked to Jupiter, but the outer ice crust, completes an extra rotation every half a million years. Therefore in 250,000 years time, the opposite hemisphere of Europa will be facing Jupiter!!.This notion is supported by the fact of the presence of the arcuate scarps & also by the even distribution of small impact craters, not displaying the higher density expected on the leading hemisphere, as would be expected if Europa permanently kept the same side facing Jupiter. Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "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". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

3488 · Mar 5, 2007

Below. Anotated New Horizons LORRI image of the volcano ravaged moon Io, the brilliant Wednesday 28 February 2007 view. Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "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". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

brellis · Mar 5, 2007

Great stuff Andrew! I just had one of those 'what if' moments. Since the craft is going by potential targets so quickly, why not have a software that lets it prioritize specific targets from a list. For example, if with one instrument it picks up an early signal indicating an unfolding event like the eruption on Io, then it prioritizes its zoom lens and other instruments to observe that spot in particular before any other potentially active place. Gotta run [Edit: continuing my thot] At Jupiter, the time it takes to communicate with NH is such that they must make (granted, very well-)educated guesses as to specific targets. Obviously, this time will be much greater at Pluto. I wonder if they could still upload software that lets NH evaluate target opportunities itself in order to optimize aiming. Auto-nav software has passed a big test on Mars with the Opportunity rover, perhaps an auto-focus can be implemented? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I'm a recovering optimist - things could be better. </div>

MeteorWayne · Mar 5, 2007

Might be a good idea, but let's not screw the pooch here. Remember, the target is Pluto, Charon, Hydra and Nix. I don't know how close it actually comes to the trans-jovian planets. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

brellis · Mar 5, 2007

Not pooch-screwing here, just harmlessly postificating. <img src="/images/icons/cool.gif" /> I'm just speculating that as it's gonna whoosh by Pluto as well, wouldn't it be cool if, based on some observations during its approach to the Pluto system, a sohpisticated software allows NH freedom to pinpoint a suddenly-intriguing spot on the fly as it zooms past, rather than having to wait decades for another such opportunity. For example, what if as it approaches, there's an indication that material is passing from one body to another. In such a case, we might not have time to upload new aiming instructions from earth, so have software on board that has authority over a handful of flexible photo opportunities. The software would be able to use one of its opportunities to quickly target the area. I've been wondering about this ever since the "new gullies" showed up upon detailed review of MGS pics. I've wondered if a spacecraft such as MRO or NH could automatically detect changes, and if it does, take many pics in rapid-fire succession to get a real dynamic view, like when a fashion photographer goes "clik-clik-clik" right when the model looks good. We can call the software Vogue (with Madonna soundtrack, hehe) Of course, you're right about the mission priorities. The Jupiter flyby would have been a nice testing ground for such theoretical automation. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I'm a recovering optimist - things could be better. </div>

3488 · Mar 6, 2007

Below. New Horizons & Galileo orbiter images of Tvashtar, on the Jupiter moon Io. Top: Tvashtar volcano dark ejecta fall out ring, about 1,000 kilometres / 621 mies across as seen by the Pluto bound New Horizons on: Monday 26th February 2007, two days prior to closest approach to the volcanic moon Io, as well as to Jupiter. The resolution is about 20 kilometres / 12 miles. Bottom. Tvashtar volcano, seen in its entirety, in approximately true colour, as imaged by the Galileo spacecraft, on Friday 26th November 1999. The caldera of the Tvashtar volcano is known as Tvashtar Catena & is some 290 KM / 180 miles by 100 KM / 61 miles across. This is about seven times larger than, the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, eastern Africa or about five times larger than the 77 km / 48 mile by 43 km / 27 mile hot spot Yellowstone caldera in Wyoming, USA. The surrounding mountains & plateaus at Tvashtar are about 1,200 metres / 4,000 feet tall. A large black depression is visible at the bottom of Tvashtar Catena in the Galileo images. This is where silicate lavas have flowed & collected. Tvashtar was seen by the Galileo orbiter to erupt magnesium rich silicate (ultramafic) lava at about 1,400 Celsius / 1,673 Kelvin as well as Sulphur Dioxide at lower temperatures. The Earth has not seen ultramafic eruptions for at least 3 billion years!!!!!! This demonstrates how useful & impotant the Pluto bound New Horizons Jupiter encounter has been. New Horizons has showed extremely well the current state of Tvashtar & will be a pivotal observation in understanding Tvashtar in particular & Ionian volcanism in general. For me personally, this will be one of the highlights of the entire mission, Pluto included!!!!! Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "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". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

3488 · Mar 6, 2007

Below. New Horizons & Galileo orbiter images of Tvashtar, on the Jupiter moon Io. Top: Tvashtar plume, reaching an altitude of 289 kilometres / 180 miles, as seen by the Pluto bound New Horizons on: Wednesday 28th February 2007. This is the highest resolution image to date of a volcanic plume on Io. Despite the distant of 2.5 million kilometres / 1.6 million miles separating New Horizons from Io, the onboard LORRI (Long Range Reconnaissance Imager) a powerful telescopic camera that showed features as small as 12 kilometres / 7.4 miles. No plume had been seen at this resolution before. The spindly filaments of the super cooled Sulphur Dioxide fall out are clearly seen. Whilst at the point of origin, the material was very hot. Once ejected, it cools very quickly & the average temperature of the plume is about minus 145 Celsius. The consistency of the plume material is sub millimetre ice crystals, in this case Sulphur Dioxide 'snow'. Bottom: Two views of the Tvashtar volcano in approximately true colour, as seen by the Galileo spacecraft on two seperate occassions, about three months apart in November 1999 & February 2000. The changes in the behaviour of the lava is very evident. During the early Summer of 2001, the Tvashtar volcano, threw a plume to a height of some 375 kilometres / 233 miles. Deciding on a bold move, it was decided to send the Galileo orbiter through the plume of Tvashtar on Monday 6th August 2001. However the volcano had ceased erupting by this date, but by sheer luck, another volcano, since named Thor, threw up a monster plume some 500 kilometres / 311 miles high, some 600 kilometres / 373 miles to the southwest of Tvashtar (Galileo was making a close pass of the north polar regions of Io on this date). The Galileo orbiter passed right through the top of it, sampling the plume material directly, pure Sulphur Dioxide 'snow' at minus 146 Celsius / 127 Kelvin. Because Thor is of the same type as Tvashtar (both <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "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". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

3488 · Mar 6, 2007

Hi brellis & MeteorWayne. Yes, it would be a great idea. New Horizons is going to pass through the Pluto system at about 57.700 KPH / 36,000 MPH. During the approach, if anything interesting is seen, then yes, it would be desirable. However this is a little like the Mariner 10 mission to Mercury. It was really a real unknown what was awaiting. Pluto, Charon, Nix & Hydra could all throw a surprise in the works. Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "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". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

MeteorWayne · Mar 6, 2007

ANd who knows, maybe more tiny moons exist, smaller than Nix and Hydra. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

portercc · Mar 7, 2007

I really miss Galileo. Isn't it true that New Horizons will be travelling too fast at closest approach to image the surface of Pluto?

3488 · Mar 7, 2007

Hi MeteorWayne. I would not not be in the least bit surprised if Pluto has more smaller moons than Nix & Hydra. In fact I am sort of expecting it (might be wrong, perhaps three is the total number). Because of the low ambient sunlight at that distance (some 1,600 times brighter than the full moon, as against some 400,000 times full moon brightness at Earth), small & possibly dark objects will be very hard to find. Perhaps in the order of 35th or 36th magnitude as seen from Earth or even fainter!! So yes, I agree with you 100% MeteorWayne. Hi portercc, I too really miss Galileo. Despite its knackered High Gain Antenna, the results were superb. A true success in the face of adversity. AFAIK, New Horizons will pass Pluto @ some 10,000 KM / 6,210 miles & will obtain images with a resolution af about 45 metres per pixel. However the great speed & low ambient light will make it very difficult, but with a pre arrival (rehearsal), it should still be possible. However clear images down to 55 metres per pixel are guaranteed. Charon will be approached to 27,000 kilometres / 16,800 miles & the resolution of the best images should be around 90 metres per pixel. We will have to wait eight years though to find out. Nis & Hydra will be imaged by the looks of it. GOOD. Please see chart below, to see the viewing geometries. Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "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". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

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