The Daily Interesting
Discussion
I tend to enjoy a geeky half hour in the mornings over the first coffee of the day.
In the hope that some may find something of interest, let's have some fun.
New Horizons launched back in 2006 atop an Atlas. Its a 10 year mission out to the Kuiper Belt for a fly by of Pluto and has just returned its first photo of Charon.
http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/news_center/news/20130710....
In the hope that some may find something of interest, let's have some fun.
New Horizons launched back in 2006 atop an Atlas. Its a 10 year mission out to the Kuiper Belt for a fly by of Pluto and has just returned its first photo of Charon.
http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/news_center/news/20130710....
As Eric said, still too far away, the returns will improve over the next couple of years.
I don’t remember the discovery of Charon, and am unsure as to why I don’t. I’m certainly old enough and it would have been of great import. Did it make the news at the time?
Following your comment I looked up the discovery and in all honesty don’t remember those pictures.
I don’t remember the discovery of Charon, and am unsure as to why I don’t. I’m certainly old enough and it would have been of great import. Did it make the news at the time?
Following your comment I looked up the discovery and in all honesty don’t remember those pictures.
I'm sure it got mentioned in the news at the time - probably just before the skateboarding duck.
There were a couple of telescopic discoveries made in the mid to late 70s, just before the deluge of new stuff that came in from Voyagers 1 and 2.
The other big solar system discovery made from ground observation were the rings of Uranus - probably the last great solar system discovery made by an earth based telescope.
There were a couple of telescopic discoveries made in the mid to late 70s, just before the deluge of new stuff that came in from Voyagers 1 and 2.
The other big solar system discovery made from ground observation were the rings of Uranus - probably the last great solar system discovery made by an earth based telescope.
Well, Messenger seems a tad overlooked.
http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/
Will be taking this
http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/news_room/details.php?...
http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/
Will be taking this
http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/news_room/details.php?...
Messenger web site said:
MESSENGER to Capture Images of Earth and Moon During Search for Satellites of Mercury
NASA's Mercury-orbiting MESSENGER spacecraft will capture images of Earth on July 19 and 20. The images will be taken at 7:49 a.m., 8:38 a.m. and 9:41 a.m. EDT on both days. Nearly half of the Earth, including all the Americas, Africa, and Europe, will be illuminated and facing MESSENGER, according to Hari Nair, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory planetary scientist who designed and is implementing the campaign. The images on the second day will also include pictures of the Moon, where all six of the Apollo landing sites will be illuminated, 44 years to the day after Apollo 11 landed on the Moon's rocky surface.
Seems Cassini is doing the same.NASA's Mercury-orbiting MESSENGER spacecraft will capture images of Earth on July 19 and 20. The images will be taken at 7:49 a.m., 8:38 a.m. and 9:41 a.m. EDT on both days. Nearly half of the Earth, including all the Americas, Africa, and Europe, will be illuminated and facing MESSENGER, according to Hari Nair, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory planetary scientist who designed and is implementing the campaign. The images on the second day will also include pictures of the Moon, where all six of the Apollo landing sites will be illuminated, 44 years to the day after Apollo 11 landed on the Moon's rocky surface.
So cool to see our home in this way.
Some info on the Cassini pic here http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/multimed...
Some info on the Cassini pic here http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/multimed...
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