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Post by hairball on Jan 26, 2015 4:02:07 GMT 10
A Nasa probe is to start photographing the icy world of Pluto, to prepare itself for a historic encounter in July. The New Horizons spacecraft has travelled 5bn km (3bn miles) over nine years to get near the dwarf planet. And with 200m km still to go, its images of Pluto will show only a speck of light against the stars. But the data will be critical in helping to align the probe properly for what will be just a fleeting fly-by. Pluto will be photographed repeatedly during the approach, to determine the probe's position relative to the dwarf planet, explained Mark Holdridge, from the Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL) in Baltimore. "We then perform a number of correction manoeuvres to realign our trajectory with the reference trajectory, thus ensuring we hit our aim point to travel through the Pluto system," he said. Any initial correction is likely to be made in March. fly-byIt'll be great to see more than Hubble's blurry image!
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Post by Wes Gear on Jan 26, 2015 20:31:21 GMT 10
Why couldn't they put some retro-rockets on New Horizons to slow it down as it approaches Pluto? Long way to travel just for a snap shot.
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Post by hairball on Jan 27, 2015 3:40:22 GMT 10
I think I read the asteroid belt is the ultimate target. They reckon there could be "dwarf" planets as big as earth there!
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Post by brillbilly on Jan 27, 2015 4:29:41 GMT 10
quote...Pluto will show only a speck of light against the stars.
I wont waste my time trying to see closeups then?.!
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Post by hairball on Jan 28, 2015 7:35:30 GMT 10
quote...Pluto will show only a speck of light against the stars. I wont waste my time trying to see closeups then?.! That's today/now Mr Brill But in July ..... The WOW factor comes in to play .... !
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Post by brillbilly on Jan 29, 2015 3:14:09 GMT 10
quote...Pluto will show only a speck of light against the stars. I wont waste my time trying to see closeups then?.! That's today/now Mr Brill But in July ..... The WOW factor comes in to play .... ! I hope i can see lakes lol
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Post by Rareclan on Jan 29, 2015 3:42:30 GMT 10
That's today/now Mr Brill But in July ..... The WOW factor comes in to play .... ! I hope i can see lakes lol and with the Plutodile's (pluto crocs) vibrating the water(?) off their backs lol where's this thread going
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