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PLUTO
Jul 15, 2015 14:32:09 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Jul 15, 2015 14:32:09 GMT -6
HELLO EARTH, PLUTO CALLING
Signal Acquisition of New Horizons Spacecraft NASA
Published on Jul 14, 2015
The New Horizons spacecraft "phoned home" around 9:00 p.m. EDT, July 14, 2015, indicating that it had successfully completed its historic flyby of Pluto earlier in the day. Team members at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, cheered as they received the flyby confirmation. The fastest spacecraft ever launched, New Horizons has traveled for more than nine years and three billion miles to reach Pluto.
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PLUTO
Jul 15, 2015 14:57:42 GMT -6
Post by swamprat on Jul 15, 2015 14:57:42 GMT -6
Ha! Tyson may get over-ruled! They are shocked that Pluto turns out to still have active mountains in it's topography.
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PLUTO
Jul 15, 2015 15:04:55 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Jul 15, 2015 15:04:55 GMT -6
Ha! Tyson may get over-ruled! They are shocked that Pluto turns out to still have active mountains in it's topography.
i sure hope so...
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PLUTO
Jul 15, 2015 15:10:02 GMT -6
Post by swamprat on Jul 15, 2015 15:10:02 GMT -6
The young, icy mountains:
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PLUTO
Jul 15, 2015 22:21:10 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2015 22:21:10 GMT -6
Way to go Pluto!
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PLUTO
Jul 18, 2015 11:36:46 GMT -6
lois likes this
Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2015 11:36:46 GMT -6
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PLUTO
Jul 18, 2015 14:00:29 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Jul 18, 2015 14:00:29 GMT -6
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PLUTO
Jul 18, 2015 14:10:35 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Jul 18, 2015 14:10:35 GMT -6
Animated Flyover of Pluto’s Icy Mountain and Plains
NASA.gov Video
Published on Jul 17, 2015
This simulated flyover of Pluto’s Norgay Montes (Norgay Mountains) and Sputnik Planum (Sputnik Plain) was created from New Horizons closest-approach images. Norgay Montes have been informally named for Tenzing Norgay, one of the first two humans to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Sputnik Planum is informally named for Earth’s first artificial satellite. The images were acquired by the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) on July 14 from a distance of 48,000 miles (77,000 kilometers). Features as small as a half-mile (1 kilometer) across are visible. Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI
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PLUTO
Jul 18, 2015 14:24:00 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Jul 18, 2015 14:24:00 GMT -6
www.nasa.gov/image-feature/portrait-of-pluto-and-charonJuly 17, 2015 Portrait of Pluto and CharonThe latest two full-frame images of Pluto and Charon were collected separately by New Horizons during approach on July 13 and July 14, 2015. The relative reflectivity, size, separation, and orientations of Pluto and Charon are approximated in this composite image, and they are shown in approximate true color. Image Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI Last Updated: July 18, 2015 Editor: Sarah Loff
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PLUTO
Jul 18, 2015 14:33:53 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Jul 18, 2015 14:33:53 GMT -6
www.space.com/29983-pluto-moon-nix-first-images.html?cmpid=514648 Nix Pix Sizes Up Pluto's Middle Child Moonby Calla Cofield, Space.com Staff Writer / www.space.com/contact_author.php?a=UTJGc2JHRWdRMjltYVdWc1pDcGpZMjltYVdWc1pDb3g= July 18, 2015 Pluto's small satellite Nix, captured by New Horizons' Long Range Reconnaissance Imager on July 13 from a distance of about 360,000 miles (590,000 kilometers). The middle child of Pluto's moon family, Nix, has been given its close up by the New Horizons space probe. The first close-up image of Nix snapped by the New Horizons probe seems a little fuzzy compared with the stunning photos of Pluto and Charon, but that's because Nix is only 25 miles (40 kilometers) wide — and, in fact, the measurement of its diameter is one of the major pieces of information that the spacecraft science team has managed to glean from the new portraits of the satellite. Named after the Egyptian goddess of night and darkness, Nix orbits Pluto right between its four siblings: Charon and Styx orbit closer to Pluto, while Kerberos and Hydra orbit further out. Previous estimates of its size ranged from 20 to 60 miles (32 to 96 km) wide. www.space.com/29983-pluto-moon-nix-first-images.html?cmpid=514648
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PLUTO
Jul 18, 2015 14:45:48 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Jul 18, 2015 14:45:48 GMT -6
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PLUTO
Jul 19, 2015 13:35:35 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Jul 19, 2015 13:35:35 GMT -6
www.universetoday.com/13903/plutos-moon-hydra/Pluto’s Moon of Hydraby Matt Williams / www.universetoday.com/author/mwill/ July 13, 2015 Artist’s illustration comparing the scale and comparative brightness of Pluto’s small satellites. Credits: NASA/ESA/A. Feild (STScI) In 1930, Pluto was observed for the first time. For many decades, astronomers thought that the “ninth planet of the Solar System” was a solitary object. But by 1978, astronomers discovered that it also had a moon roughly half its size. This moon would come to be known as Charon, and it would be the first of many discoveries made within the Pluto’s system. In fact, within the last decade, four additional satellites have been discovered in orbit of Pluto. Of these, the outermost to be observed is the moon now known as Hydra. Discovery:Hydra was first discovered in June 2005 by the Hubble Space Telescope‘s “Pluto Companion Search Team”, using images that were taken on May 15th and 18th of that year. At the time, the team was preparing for the launch of the New Horizons mission to Pluto, seeking to gain as much information as they could about any addition Plutonian moons. By June, Hydra was again discovered. This time, it was independently observed by two members of the team, along with Nix – another small Plutonian moon. The discoveries were announced on October 31st, 2005, and were provisionally given the designations of S/2005 P 1 and S/2005 P 2 (for Hydra and Nix, respectively). Name:By June 21st, 2006, the name Hydra was assigned by the IAU (along with the formal designation Pluto III). The name Hydra, which is derived from the nine-headed serpent of Greek mythology, was selected for two reasons. The letter H refers to the Hubble Telescope, which was used to make the discovery, while the nine-headed serpent referred to Pluto’s tenure as the ninth planet of the Solar System. Size, Mass and Orbit:Although its size has not been directly measured, calculations based on its brightness have indicated that Hydra’s diameter is between 40 and 160 kilometers (38 and 104 mi). Similar measurements estimate its mass to be in the vicinity of 4.2 x 1017 kg. Because of the uncertainty in these measurements, Hydra is either comparable in size to either the main moons of Saturn and Neptune, or the inner and irregular moons of Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus. Hydra orbits Pluto at a distance of about 65,000 km with a very low eccentricity (0.0059) and an orbital inclination of about 0.24°. It orbits in the same plane as Charon and Nix and has an orbital period of 38.2 days. CONTINUE READING: www.universetoday.com/13903/plutos-moon-hydra/
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PLUTO
Jul 20, 2015 14:26:55 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Jul 20, 2015 14:26:55 GMT -6
www.space.com/29930-pluto-planet-status-teenager-view.html?cmpid=514648_20150720_49404846&adbid=623152906619846657&adbpl=tw&adbpr=15431856 Never a Planet: A 14-Year-Old Considers Pluto's Dwarf Planet StatusE. Dawn Redd, Space.com Contributor July 19, 2015 E. Dawn Redd is a 14-year-old student and the daughter of Space.com contributor Nola Redd. Like many kids and teenagers, she has grown up in a world in which Pluto has been considered a dwarf planet for most of her life. Throughout history, children have grown up under the shadow of conflict. Some lived through the Civil War, others the War of the Roses. I'm 14, and I grew up watching a different kind of battle, although this one had only one casualty: Pluto. In my home, Pluto's status as a planet is an ongoing battle. My mom writes for astronomical websites and magazines; my dad, once he has read the facts and made up his mind, is extremely set in his opinions. Both of them are exceptionally stubborn people. Their vigorous discussions form some of my earliest memories. For years, I didn't care about the fight. I never really knew Pluto as a planet; I was born only a few years before its controversial demotion, and science wasn't really my thing. If my parents wanted to argue the point, why should I step in? I didn't even really listen when they talked about it. I would just go on with whatever I was doing. [Photos of Pluto and Its Moons] But that changed last fall, when I discovered how much I love astronomy. I remember the exact moment of my epiphany. I was in the car talking with my mom when she mentioned that she was going to a major astronomical meeting. She said she would meet some really cool scientists. I asked her a couple questions, and suddenly I was thinking, "Maybe science isn't so boring after all." My mom brought me to the meeting that winter. I attended as an intern and absolutely loved it. After that, I started listening a little bit more to my parents when they argued their sides on Pluto. I researched the debate, learning that this discussion extends beyond our home. I ultimately formed an opinion of my own: There are good points for both sides. My dad gives several reasons to argue that Pluto is a planet. First, it orbits the sun. You might say, "But a lot of things orbit the sun! Are you saying we should classify them all as planets?" He said maybe we should. Second, Pluto has significant mass. It isn't huge, but it is pretty large; it even has its own moons. My dad said there should be a rule for planet classification that requires a body to orbit a star and have a certain mass. "It was already a planet," he said, "so why be mean and try to tell it it's no longer a planet?" WATCH VIDEO & CONTINUE READING: www.space.com/29930-pluto-planet-status-teenager-view.html?cmpid=514648_20150720_49404846&adbid=623152906619846657&adbpl=tw&adbpr=15431856
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PLUTO
Jul 21, 2015 12:58:28 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Jul 21, 2015 12:58:28 GMT -6
www.nasa.gov/image-feature/new-horizons-captures-two-of-plutos-smaller-moonsJuly 21, 2015 New Horizons Captures Two of Pluto's Smaller MoonsImage Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI Last Updated: July 21, 2015 Editor: Tricia Talbert Pluto has five known moons. In order of distance from Pluto they are: Charon, Styx, Nix, Kerberos, and Hydra. While Pluto’s largest moon Charon has grabbed most of the lunar spotlight, two of Pluto’s smaller and lesser-known satellites are starting to come into focus via new images from the New Horizons spacecraft. Nix and Hydra – the second and third moons to be discovered – are approximately the same size, but their similarity ends there. New Horizons’ first color image of Pluto’s moon Nix, in which colors have been enhanced, reveals an intriguing region on the jelly bean-shaped satellite, which is estimated to be 26 miles (42 kilometers) long and 22 miles (36 kilometers) wide. Although the overall surface color of Nix is neutral grey in the image, the newfound region has a distinct red tint. Hints of a bull’s-eye pattern lead scientists to speculate that the reddish region is a crater. “Additional compositional data has already been taken of Nix, but is not yet downlinked. It will tell us why this region is redder than its surroundings,” said mission scientist Carly Howett, Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, Colorado. She added, “This observation is so tantalizing, I’m finding it hard to be patient for more Nix data to be downlinked.” Meanwhile, the sharpest image yet received from New Horizons of Pluto’s satellite Hydra shows that its irregular shape resembles the state of Michigan. The new image was made by the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) on July 14, 2015 from a distance of 143,000 miles (231,000 kilometers), and shows features as small as 0.7 miles (1.2 kilometers) across. There appear to be at least two large craters, one of which is mostly in shadow. The upper portion looks darker than the rest of Hydra, suggesting a possible difference in surface composition. From this image, mission scientists have estimated that Hydra is 34 miles (55 kilometers) long and 25 miles (40 kilometers) wide. Commented mission science collaborator Ted Stryk of Roane State Community College in Tennessee, “Before last week, Hydra was just a faint point of light, so it's a surreal experience to see it become an actual place, as we see its shape and spot recognizable features on its surface for the first time.” Images of Pluto’s most recently discovered moons, Styx and Kerberos, are expected to be transmitted to Earth no later than mid-October. Nix and Hydra were both discovered in 2005 using Hubble Space Telescope data by a research team led by New Horizons project scientist Hal Weaver, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland. New Horizons’ findings on the surface characteristics and other properties of Nix and Hydra will help scientists understand the origins and subsequent history of Pluto and its moons. Image Caption: Pluto’s moon Nix (left), shown here in enhanced color as imaged by the New Horizons Ralph instrument, has a reddish spot that has attracted the interest of mission scientists. The data were obtained on the morning of July 14, 2015 and received on the ground on July 18. At the time the observations were taken New Horizons was about 102,000 miles (165,000 km) from Nix. The image shows features as small as approximately 2 miles (3 kilometers) across on Nix, which is estimated to be 26 miles (42 kilometers) long and 22 miles (36 kilometers) wide. Pluto’s small, irregularly shaped moon Hydra (right) is revealed in this black and white image taken from New Horizons’ LORRI instrument on July 14, 2015 from a distance of about 143,000 miles (231,000 kilometers). Features as small as 0.7 miles (1.2 kilometers) are visible on Hydra, which measures 34 miles (55 kilometers) in length. www.nasa.gov/image-feature/new-horizons-captures-two-of-plutos-smaller-moons
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PLUTO
Jul 22, 2015 12:58:38 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Jul 22, 2015 12:58:38 GMT -6
WHO DOES NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON THINK HE IS?Uploaded on Feb 4, 2010 On Tuesday, March 2nd NOVA joins Neil de Grasse Tyson as he follows the amazing story of Pluto's discovery and the captivating science that surrounds this former planet, including the possibility of finding more Pluto-like planets in the mysterious Kuiper belt, an area of icy rocks at the edge of the solar system. From the scientists trying to classify Pluto to die-hard Plutophiles, Tyson meets a fascinating cast of characters with one thing in common: Strong opinions about Pluto. For more information visit us online at www.pbs.org/nova/pluto
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PLUTO
Jul 31, 2015 14:03:22 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Jul 31, 2015 14:03:22 GMT -6
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PLUTO
Aug 2, 2015 13:19:43 GMT -6
lois likes this
Post by auntym on Aug 2, 2015 13:19:43 GMT -6
NewHorizons2015 @newhorizons2015 HOW COOL IS THIS? Our @natgeo cover signed by Pluto flyby team members! #PLutoFlyby /photo/1
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PLUTO
Aug 5, 2015 11:53:35 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Aug 5, 2015 11:53:35 GMT -6
www.space.com/30139-pluto-charon-kirk-spock-vader-names.html?cmpid=514648_20150804_50232836&adbid=628551154633306112&adbpl=tw&adbpr=15431856 Vader Crater, Kirk & Spock! 'Star Wars,' 'Star Trek' Collide on Pluto Moonby Mike Wall, Space.com Senior Writer August 03, 2015 Image showing the provisional names being used by the New Horizons team for features on Pluto’s largest moon, Charon. These monikers have not yet been approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute The "Star Trek" and "Star Wars" universes are coming together on Pluto's big moon Charon. The team behind NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, which performed the first-ever Pluto flyby last month, has unofficially named some Charon craters after characters from both beloved sci-fi franchises. For example, newly released maps created by the New Horizons crew reveal that Charon now has a Vader Crater, as well as impact features named after fellow "Star Wars" principals Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. And James T. Kirk, captain of the starship Enterprise in the original "Star Trek" series, gets his own crater, as do his shipmates Mr. Spock, Sulu and Uhura. [See more photos of Pluto and its moons New Horizons' flyby revealed both Pluto and Charon to be complex worlds with diverse surfaces, so there are a lot of new features to name. Most of the newly announced Charon monikers are drawn from the science fiction canon; famed sci-fi authors Arthur C. Clarke and Octavia Butler get their own craters, for instance, and chasms on the 750-mile-wide (1,200 kilometers) moon are named after fictional spaceships, such as Nostromo from the 1979 film "Alien." CONTINUE READING: www.space.com/30139-pluto-charon-kirk-spock-vader-names.html?cmpid=514648_20150804_50232836&adbid=628551154633306112&adbpl=tw&adbpr=15431856
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PLUTO
Aug 27, 2015 11:59:39 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Aug 27, 2015 11:59:39 GMT -6
SkySafari @skysafariastro
Over 10,000 votes cast in our #Pluto poll ! Thank you so much! app.plutosafari.com/poll.html #PlutoFlyby @newhorizons2015
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PLUTO
Sept 6, 2015 12:00:09 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Sept 6, 2015 12:00:09 GMT -6
www.outerplaces.com/science/item/9786-professor-bob-cox-suggests-pluto-could-be-home-to-alien-life
Professor bob Cox Suggests Pluto Could be Home to Alien LifeKieran Dickson Friday, 04 September 2015 The recent flyby of Pluto by NASA's New Horizon's spacecraft shed new light on the dwarf planet, giving scientists masses of data to pour over as they try and puzzle out the mystery of what was once our solar system's outermost planet. That extreme location in our solar system meant that, for a long time, Pluto was regarded as nothing more than a cold, harsh wasteland. While the cold and harsh parts of that notion may still ring true, the New Horizons flyby has led some to suggest that Pluto isn't as much of a wasteland as we previously thought, and could even harbor alien life. Professor bob Cox, a British Physicist known for his many educational shows in the UK, says that data coming from New Horizons suggests that Pluto may be home to a significant subsurface ocean, and must therefore be considered a candidate for harboring alien life. "[New Horizons] showed you that there may well be a subsurface ocean on Pluto. [This] means - if our understanding of life on Earth is even slightly correct - that you could have living things there." As New Horizons came within 7,800 miles of Pluto, it discovered what looked to be large mountains, which many now believe are made up of ice. These icy behemoths have led experts to suggest that they are being fed by subsurface oceans of liquid water, which rises to the surface and freezes upon contact with Pluto's -233 Celsius temperatures. But although Pluto may be a good candidate for discovering alien life, Cox says it's unlikely to be the first place we look for it. Moons like Titan, Europa and Enceladus are all thought to share similar subsurface ocean conditions and most importantly, they're all a lot closer than Pluto. CO0NTINUE READING: www.outerplaces.com/science/item/9786-professor-bob-cox-suggests-pluto-could-be-home-to-alien-life
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PLUTO
Oct 8, 2015 13:45:54 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Oct 8, 2015 13:45:54 GMT -6
www.nasa.gov/nh/nh-finds-blue-skies-and-water-ice-on-plutoOct. 8, 2015
New Horizons Finds Blue Skies and Water Ice on PlutoPluto’s Blue Sky: Pluto’s haze layer shows its blue color in this picture taken by the New Horizons Ralph/Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC). The high-altitude haze is thought to be similar in nature to that seen at Saturn’s moon Titan. The source of both hazes likely involves sunlight-initiated chemical reactions of nitrogen and methane, leading to relatively small, soot-like particles (called tholins) that grow as they settle toward the surface. This image was generated by software that combines information from blue, red and near-infrared images to replicate the color a human eye would perceive as closely as possible. Credits: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI The first color images of Pluto’s atmospheric hazes, returned by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft last week, reveal that the hazes are blue. “Who would have expected a blue sky in the Kuiper Belt? It’s gorgeous,” said Alan Stern, New Horizons principal investigator from Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), Boulder, Colorado. The haze particles themselves are likely gray or red, but the way they scatter blue light has gotten the attention of the New Horizons science team. “That striking blue tint tells us about the size and composition of the haze particles,” said science team researcher Carly Howett, also of SwRI. “A blue sky often results from scattering of sunlight by very small particles. On Earth, those particles are very tiny nitrogen molecules. On Pluto they appear to be larger — but still relatively small — soot-like particles we call tholins.” Scientists believe the tholin particles form high in the atmosphere, where ultraviolet sunlight breaks apart and ionizes nitrogen and methane molecules and allows them to react with one another to form more and more complex negatively and positively charged ions. When they recombine, they form very complex macromolecules, a process first found to occur in the upper atmosphere of Saturn’s moon Titan. The more complex molecules continue to combine and grow until they become small particles; volatile gases condense and coat their surfaces with ice frost before they have time to fall through the atmosphere to the surface, where they add to Pluto’s red coloring. In a second significant finding, New Horizons has detected numerous small, exposed regions of water ice on Pluto. The discovery was made from data collected by the Ralph spectral composition mapper on New Horizons. Water Ice on Pluto: Regions with exposed water ice are highlighted in blue in this composite image from New Horizons' Ralph instrument, combining visible imagery from the Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC) with infrared spectroscopy from the Linear Etalon Imaging Spectral Array (LEISA). The strongest signatures of water ice occur along Virgil Fossa, just west of Elliot crater on the left side of the inset image, and also in Viking Terra near the top of the frame. A major outcrop also occurs in Baré Montes towards the right of the image, along with numerous much smaller outcrops, mostly associated with impact craters and valleys between mountains. The scene is approximately 280 miles (450 kilometers) across. Note that all surface feature names are informal. Credits: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI “Large expanses of Pluto don’t show exposed water ice,” said science team member Jason Cook, of SwRI, “because it’s apparently masked by other, more volatile ices across most of the planet. Understanding why water appears exactly where it does, and not in other places, is a challenge that we are digging into.” A curious aspect of the detection is that the areas showing the most obvious water ice spectral signatures correspond to areas that are bright red in recently released color images. “I’m surprised that this water ice is so red,” says Silvia Protopapa, a science team member from the University of Maryland, College Park. “We don’t yet understand the relationship between water ice and the reddish tholin colorants on Pluto's surface.” The New Horizons spacecraft is currently 3.1 billion miles (5 billion kilometers) from Earth, with all systems healthy and operating normally. Last Updated: Oct. 8, 2015 Editor: Lillian Gipson www.nasa.gov/nh/nh-finds-blue-skies-and-water-ice-on-pluto MORE: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/main/index.html
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PLUTO
Jan 5, 2016 13:10:23 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Jan 5, 2016 13:10:23 GMT -6
www.universetoday.com/126453/pluto-has-been-explored-here-are-the-stamps-to-prove-it/ Pluto Has Been Explored, Here Are The Stamps To Prove It - Universe Today 30 Dec , 2015 by Fraser Cain When NASA launched New Horizons back in 2006, the spacecraft payload included your traditional of “scientific instruments” and “maneuvering thrusters”. But the engineers included a collection of nine secret items as well, including ashes from Pluto discoverer Clyde Tombaugh, and few other trinkets. One noteworthy addition was a 1991 US postage stamp featuring “Pluto: Not Yet Explored”. And thus, New Horizons was carrying a symbol of its own scientific inquiry, an indication that even Pluto would get the exploration treatment when it made its closest flyby on July 13, 2015. To celebrate this exploration, the US Postal Service has announced a new series of Pluto stamps, with updated pictures of the dwarf planet and an artist’s illustration of New Horizons. PLUTO www.universetoday.com/126453/pluto-has-been-explored-here-are-the-stamps-to-prove-it/
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PLUTO
Jan 23, 2016 14:33:37 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Jan 23, 2016 14:33:37 GMT -6
www.viralnova.com/pluto-snail/?mb=aol&icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl12|sec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D-1561460659 According To NASA, There's A Giant 'Snail' Crawling Across The Surface Of PlutoJANUARY 16, 2016 By Mike Cahill / www.viralnova.com/author/michael-cahill/OMG Thanks to NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, we know more about Pluto now than ever before. However, if this new photograph is anything to go on, we might have a lot more to learn about the dwarf planet than we once thought. Earlier this month, a photo of the icy planet's surface began making the rounds online, and it looks like it shows something pretty startling. This is the photo in question. See anything weird? NASA According to conspiracy theorists, the object in the middle of this photo might very well be some sort of giant slithering space slug making its way across the surface of Pluto. They believe what we are seeing in that first photo is actually a giant chunk of dirty ice. The reason why it's standing out so well is because it's floating on a river of dense nitrogen. MORE PHOTOS & CONTINUE READING: www.viralnova.com/pluto-snail/?mb=aol&icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl12|sec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D-1561460659
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PLUTO
Mar 8, 2016 16:30:02 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Mar 8, 2016 16:30:02 GMT -6
www.space.com/32161-rumors-spread-of-nitrogen-clouds-on-pluto.html?cmpid=514648_20160307_59060646&adbid=706940016837025792&adbpl=tw&adbpr=15431856 Cloudgate: Rumors Spread of Nitrogen Clouds on PlutoBy Jason Major, Discovery News March 7, 2016 A SwRI scientist highlighted structures in Pluto’s atmosphere thought to be clouds. Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI It what could soon be called "Cloudgate," "leaked" emails appear to discuss structures in Pluto's already hazy atmosphere as clouds, based on a March 4 article in New Scientist. The picture above shows sections of an image attached to an email sent by Southwest Research Institute scientist John Spencer, in which he noted particularly bright areas in Pluto’s atmosphere within a New Horizons image. ANALYSIS: Pluto's Weirdly Young Surface Doesn't Make Sense: news.discovery.com/space/plutos-weirdly-young-surface-doesnt-make-sense-150717.htm"In the first image an extremely bright low altitude limb haze above south-east Sputnik on the left, and a discrete fuzzy cloud seen against the sunlit surface above Krun Macula (I think) on the right," Spencer wrote. While it was quickly determined after New Horizons' July 2015 flyby that Pluto is enveloped in a complex atmosphere comprising layers of blue-tinted haze, individual clouds couldn’t be resolved. That may have changed as high-resolution data continues to arrive on Earth from the still-moving spacecraft, now 1.9 AU — or approximately 180 million miles — past Pluto. Unlike clouds on Earth, Plutonian clouds wouldn't be composed of water — they would likely be made of particles of nitrogen ice along with methane and other compounds. ANALYSIS: Pluto: A World of Blue Skies and Red Ice: news.discovery.com/space/pluto-a-world-of-blue-skies-and-red-ice-151008.htmClouds are different from haze in that haze is a very diffuse and widespread suspension of particles while clouds are more concentrated and regional, and usually much less long-lived. If this is true this would be the first time actual clouds have been identified on Pluto, although no official confirmation or findings have yet been announced or published by either the New Horizons team or NASA. MORE: www.space.com/32161-rumors-spread-of-nitrogen-clouds-on-pluto.html?cmpid=514648_20160307_59060646&adbid=706940016837025792&adbpl=tw&adbpr=15431856 Read more on New Scientist: www.newscientist.com/article/2079549-exclusive-photos-clouds-seen-on-pluto-for-first-time/
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PLUTO
Apr 11, 2016 14:12:43 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Apr 11, 2016 14:12:43 GMT -6
NASA ✔ @nasa
When it comes to Pluto, classification is tricky, but it’s unquestioningly a rocky body. Watch 'Pluto in a Minute.'
How is Pluto Classified as a Rocky World?NASA.gov Video Published on Apr 8, 2016 When it comes to Pluto, classification is tricky, but it’s unquestioningly a rocky body. This is Pluto in a Minute. The bodies in our solar system fall more or less into set categories like gas giants, terrestrial planets, icy comets, and small bodies like asteroids. So where does Pluto fit? Thanks to data and images gathered by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, mission scientists can confirm that Pluto is, in fact, a rocky world. Orbiting anywhere from 30 to 50 times further from the sun than the Earth, Pluto’s composition is far more reminiscent of a terrestrial planet than a gas giant, and far more rocky than scientists expected. Pluto’s surface looks to be dominated by nitrogen ice with some methane and carbon mixed in. As for its overall makeup, Pluto is likely about 70 percent rock and 30 percent water ice, which behaves a lot like rock in Pluto’s frigid region of the solar system. Internally, scientists suspect Pluto has a rocky core surrounded by a mantle of water ice with the more exotic ices appearing only on the surface. That means Pluto is classified as a rocky body.
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PLUTO
Apr 21, 2016 12:10:22 GMT -6
Post by auntym on Apr 21, 2016 12:10:22 GMT -6
www.space.com/32627-pluto-haze-gravity-waves-images-new-horizons.html?cmpid=514648 Surprising Shifts in Pluto Atmosphere Point to Gravity Waves (Photos)By Elizabeth Howell, Space.com Contributor April 20, 2016 Pluto’s wispy atmosphere is seen in this photo, which was captured by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft shortly after its closest approach to the dwarf planet on July 14, 2015. Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI Unexpected variations in the brightness of Pluto's wispy atmosphere may be caused by gravity waves, scientists say. Newly analyzed images captured by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, which flew past Pluto last July, show that the dwarf planet's haze layers can change in brightness depending on lighting conditions and viewing perspective. However, the haze keeps the same vertical structure. "The brightness variations may be due to buoyancy waves — what atmospheric scientists also call gravity waves — which are typically launched by the flow of air over mountain ranges," NASA officials wrote last week in a description of the images, which were captured by New Horizons' Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) during the flyby on July 14, 2015. "Atmospheric gravity waves are known to occur on Earth, Mars and now, likely, Pluto as well," the officials added. Gravity waves are not the same thing as gravitational waves, which are ripples in the fabric of space-time first predicted by Albert Einstein in his theory of general relativity. The first-ever direct detection of gravitational waves was announced earlier this year by scientists with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or LIGO. SEE PHOTOS & CONTINUE READING: www.space.com/32627-pluto-haze-gravity-waves-images-new-horizons.html?cmpid=514648
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PLUTO
May 10, 2016 12:21:52 GMT -6
Post by auntym on May 10, 2016 12:21:52 GMT -6
www.space.com/32834-pluto-behaves-more-like-a-planet-than-thought.html?utm_content=bufferda439&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer%26cmpid%3D514648 Pluto Behaves More Like a Planet Than ThoughtBy Jason Major, Discovery News May 10, 2016 Enhanced-color image of Pluto from New Horizons' approach on July 14, 2015. Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI Apologies to all of the Pluto-isn't-a-real-planet folks out there but researchers have found a way in which this ever-surprising world acts more planet-like than dwarf-like: how it interacts with the solar wind. During New Horizons' flyby through the Plutonian system in July 2015, the spacecraft's Solar Wind Around Pluto (SWAP) instrument measured what happens when charged particles streaming out from the sun interact with Pluto's atmosphere. What was observed was a much less subtle comet-like interaction (as had been previously suspected) and more a hybrid comet/planet behavior, with the solar wind being deflected abruptly but relatively close to its upwind-facing surface. New Pluto Pics Show Beautiful, Complex World: news.discovery.com/space/astronomy/new-pluto-pics-show-beautiful-complex-world-photos-150913.htm"This is a type of interaction we've never seen before anywhere in our solar system," said David J. McComas, professor of astrophysical sciences at Princeton University and lead author of the study. "The results are astonishing." Surprisingly, Pluto is able to maintain a gravitational grasp on much of its thin atmosphere even as ions are being stripped away by the solar wind into a long tail (which, by the way, is also found on other planets like Earth.) "These results speak to the power of exploration," said Alan Stern, New Horizons principal investigator. "Once again we've gone to a new kind of place and found ourselves discovering entirely new kinds of expressions in nature." Video: What Did We Learn from That Pluto Flyby? news.discovery.com/space/videos/what-did-we-learn-from-the-pluto-flyby-video-150805.htmThe findings were published on May 4, 2016 in the Journal of Geophysical Research – Space Physics. www.space.com/32834-pluto-behaves-more-like-a-planet-than-thought.html?utm_content=bufferda439&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer%26cmpid%3D514648
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PLUTO
May 11, 2016 12:34:36 GMT -6
Post by auntym on May 11, 2016 12:34:36 GMT -6
www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/39491/20160509/pluto-planet-dwarf-comet-something.htm Pluto: Planet, Dwarf Planet Or Comet, Scientists Reveal It Is Something ElsePosted: May 09, 2016 Scientists are reportedly saying that Pluto is a hybrid between a planet and a comet. Solar System image via pixabay.com/en/solar-system-planets-space-earth-1018038/(Photo : KERBSTONE/Pixabay) Ever since the International Astronomical Union took a decision in 2006 to downgrade the position of Pluto, from a planet to a dwarf planet, there has been a constant debate over its correct classification. Now, yet one more point of confusion has been added to the ongoing debate, according to reports. The New Horizons mission by NASA has placed Pluto in a hybrid bracket between a comet and a planet. According to a report published in the Journal of Geophysical Research, Pluto's interaction with the solar wind is unlike anything else yet seen in the solar system. Made up of charged particles, the solar wind is plasma that is thrown from the sun at 160 million kilometers per hour and covers everything in its path, be it interplanetary space, comets, asteroids or planets, with a celestial mix of electrons and protons. However, when a comet stands in the way of solar wind, there is a marked region of gentle slowing of it. Meanwhile if a planet, like Mars or Venus, stands in the path then there will be an abrupt diversion of solar wind. As per NASA, on the basis of the observation of Pluto's interaction with the solar wind, the dwarf planet is now being thought as a hybrid. "This is an intermediate interaction, a completely new type. It's not comet-like, and it's not planet-like. It's in-between," said David J. McComas, lead author of the study. "The results are astonishing. We've now visited all nine of the classical planets and examined all their solar wind interactions, and we've never seen anything like this". The team of researchers arrived at their conclusion using data from New Horizon's Solar Wind Around Pluto (SWAP) instrument. SWAP has the ability to distinguish between lighter hydrogen ions that have their origin in the sun, and heavy methane ions which is the principle gas being thrown into space from Pluto's atmosphere. On the basis of the data, the scientists found that the gravity of Pluto was sturdy enough to keep heavy ions in its larger atmosphere. According to the experts, the data gathered by SWAP may reveal deeper secrets which will come to light after a detailed observation and analysis of it in the years to come. www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/39491/20160509/pluto-planet-dwarf-comet-something.htm
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PLUTO
May 15, 2016 12:58:53 GMT -6
Post by auntym on May 15, 2016 12:58:53 GMT -6
www.universetoday.com/128836/thanks-comet-pluto-solar-system-nomenclature-needs-major-rethink/ Thanks, Comet Pluto. Solar System Nomenclature Needs A Major Rethink11 May , 2016 by Matt Williams / www.universetoday.com/author/mwill/Pluto can’t seem to catch a break lately. After being reclassified in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union, it seemed that what had been the 9th planet of the Solar System was now relegated to the status of “dwarf planet” with the likes of Ceres, Eris, Haumea, and Makemake. Then came the recent announcements that the title of “Planet 9” may belong to an object ten times the mass of Earth located 700 AU from our Sun. And now, new research has been produced that indicates that Pluto may need to be reclassified again. Using data provided by the New Horizons mission, researchers have shown that Pluto’s interaction with the Sun’s solar wind is unlike anything observed in the Solar System thus far. As a result, it would seem that the debate over how to classify Pluto, and indeed all astronomical bodies, is not yet over. In a study that appeared in the Journal of Geophysical Research, a team of researchers from the Southwest Research Institute – with support from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the Laboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics at University of Colorado and other institutions – examined data obtained by the New Horizon mission’s Solar Wind Around Pluto (SWAP) instrument. Basically, solar wind effects every body in the Solar System. Consisting of electrons, hydrogen ions and alpha particles, this stream of plasma flows from our Sun to the edge of the Solar System at speeds of up to 160 million kilometers per hour. When it comes into contact with a comet, there is a discernible region behind the comet where the wind speed slows discernibly. Meanwhile, where solar wind encounters a planet, the result is an abrupt diversion in its path. The region where this occurs around a planet is known as a “bow shock”, owing to the distinctive shape it forms. The very reason the New Horizons mission was equipped with the SWAP instrument was so that it could gather solar wind data from the edge of the Solar System and allow astronomers to create more accurate models of the environment. But when the Southwestern Research Institute team examined the SWAP data, which was obtained during the New Horizons’ July 2015 flyby of Pluto, what they found was surprising. Previously, most researchers thought that Pluto was characterized more like a comet, which has a large region of gentle slowing of the solar wind, as opposed to the abrupt diversion solar wind encounters at a planet like Mars or Venus. What they found instead was that the dwarf planet’s interaction with solar wind was something the fell between that of a comet and a planet. As Dr. David J. McComas – the Assistant Vice President of the Space Science and Engineering Division at the Southwest Research Institute – said during a NASA news release about the study: “This is a type of interaction we’ve never seen before anywhere in our solar system. The results are astonishing.” CONTINUE READING: www.universetoday.com/128836/thanks-comet-pluto-solar-system-nomenclature-needs-major-rethink/
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PLUTO
May 23, 2016 13:05:01 GMT -6
Post by auntym on May 23, 2016 13:05:01 GMT -6
www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/05/19/science/space/100000004401256.mobile.html Seeking Pluto’s Frigid HeartBy THE NEW YORK TIMES MAY 19, 2016 Set foot on an alien world, three billion miles from the warmth of the sun. Download the NYT VR app for Android or iPhone. VISIT PLUTO IN VIRTUAL REALITYPluto in May 2015 One year ago, humanity’s best images of Pluto were a few fuzzy pixels wide. Pluto was obscured by its vast distance and diminutive size. But no longer. On July 14, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft zipped past Pluto and its moons, scanning the dwarf planet in unprecedented detail. Using data from that distant flyby, The New York Times worked with the Lunar and Planetary Institute and the Universities Space Research Association to build a detailed virtual world. Watch New Horizons glide through space at a million miles a day. Fly over Pluto’s rugged surface and smooth heart-shaped plains. Stand on icy mountains as the moon Charon looms on the horizon. Touch down in a frost-rimmed crater, billions of years old. Out there in the void, an icy world awaits. NYTVR
Seeking Pluto’s Frigid Heart
Set foot on an alien world, three billion miles from the warmth of the sun.
Text yourself a link to get the NYT VR app.
For iOS and Android. Standard messaging rates may apply. Your information is used only to deliver a one-time text message.CLICK FOR MORE INFO: www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/05/19/science/space/100000004401256.mobile.html
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