New Horizons Mission to Pluto

[MiniMan64]

There's a picture of Saturn very similar to that that I love. Great perspective.

[Eric Mc]

ash73 said:

You could see the panel smiling at each other as the question was being asked. With all the complexity we've seen it's a planet, end of!

Now we need a close up of Eris or one of the other larger KBOs - THEN we can decide which group Pluto belongs to.

[vonuber]

Have they found the relay yet?

[Moonhawk]

MrCarPark said:

Pluto backlit by the sun. Awesome

Was wondering why we don't have any like this of Ceres - considering Dawn was behind it for a good while I would have thought it would be a good opportunity to see if it had some sort of atmosphere or outgassing.

[Eric Mc]

Dawn's orbit may not have placed it in a position to perform this type of exercise - yet.

[Moonhawk]

Eric Mc said:

Dawn's orbit may not have placed it in a position to perform this type of exercise - yet.

Yep - possibly.

[Eric Mc]

I like him - but he can be a bit annoying. I do like his brashness.

[Foliage]

Eric Mc said:

I like him - but he can be a bit annoying. I do like his brashness.

I like him too doesn't mince his words, very opinionated, I tried watching 'cosmos: a space time odyssey' a few times and it just puts me to sleep his voice is just so relaxing. :s Its aimed at kids so its he's dialled it back a load.

Also a Dwarf Planet is still a planet, like a dwarf rabbit is still a rabbit.

Edited by Foliage on Tuesday 28th July 12:11

[Eric Mc]

Maybe they'll have to rename it a "Spheroidly Challenged Planet" - in order not to upset the PC brigade.

[jmorgan]

They could rename it "Get a Life"

[Einion Yrth]

course the downside is that, these images all seem extremely interesting, we could doubtless all find areas in them and want to say "lets have a closer look at that".


I shall be dead before it becomes possible.

[Halmyre]

For the life of me I cannot understand why people are getting so upset over the "planet/not planet" thing.

[Einion Yrth]

Halmyre said:

For the life of me I cannot understand why people are getting so upset over the "planet/not planet" thing.

Screws up peoples cherished mnemonics;

Mother Very Easily Made (a) Jam Sandwich Using No...


Ah, bugger...

[Eric Mc]

Einion Yrth said:

Screws up peoples cherished mnemonics;

Mother Very Easily Made (a) Jam Sandwich Using Nothing

Amended.

[Zad]

When you are taught <factoid> from a very young age by people you have a lot of trust in (parents, teachers, books, scientists, people on telly) it becomes very deeply ingrained. Not dissimilar to how religion works really. Except the designation as a non-planet seems equally to be an article of faith rather than of reason. It is certainly a conceptual construct, not a hard definable identity.

I suppose what is boils down to is "does it matter what we call it?" and the answer is something along the lines of "nope".

[Simpo Two]

Zad said:

When you are taught <factoid> from a very young age by people you have a lot of trust in (parents, teachers, books, scientists, people on telly) it becomes very deeply ingrained. Not dissimilar to how religion works really. Except the designation as a non-planet seems equally to be an article of faith rather than of reason.

Even if Pluto was redesignated an edible fruit it would still be more accurate than religion.

[MiniMan64]

Im on an iPhone so uploading pics is a pain in the arse but the latest images are stunning! Atmosphere of exotic gases, terrain, fog.

It was supposed to be a dead icy rock but it looks so dynamic and beautiful!

[MartG]

Excellent pics

http://www.nasa.gov/feature/pluto-wows-in-spectacu...

[jmorgan]

Just catching up on the email.

Wow indeed.

From here
http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Multimedia/Science-Photos/...

[Eric Mc]

That is almost a work of art. Great photograph.