Excluding other EKB objects, Pluto and Charon are the largest unexplored (known) objects in the Solar System.
From the New Horizons craft, Pluto has now surpassed 10 arcsec in diameter. Maybe not seem large, but from Earth Pluto is just 0.10 arcsec across! In the coming weeks Pluto and Charon will dramatically increase in size in the FOV of New Horizons cameras.
The first colour movies of Pluto and Charon have been released (
www.nasa.gov/feature/pluto-and-its-moon-charon-now-in-color
). Although the resolution is very low, Pluto has a beige colour with clear variations, whereas Charon is grey. The outer (minor) planets and moons, with their many different textures and hues, have much more varied surfaces than the small rocky objects of the inner Solar System. I'm really looking forward to what will be revealed as the close fly-by approaches.
Mike
Celestron 280 mm f/10 SCT
CG-5 mount
Toolbox full of bits n' bobs
Thermal underwear
The following user(s) said Thank You: dave_lillis, michaeloconnell
That really cool Mike, it's good to see NASA sharing it's received data with the public very quickly. I am just amazed by this world and it's moons, everyday it's just getting better. Right now we can see definite differences in Pluto's surface feature's although very low resolution, my bet is that it will look very like Neptune's moon Triton !
This thread will be very busy from now on
Keith..
If a telescope can fit into your backyard it's too small. If you can't move it, it's too big." -- John Dobson
3 years 5 months ago - 3 years 5 months ago#104372by Keith g
Hi everybody, Wow! This is just getting better from the New Horizons probe, the latest pictures from Pluto show it better than ever in colour, it could easily resemble any of Jupiters moons or indeed Neptunes Triton.
And Charon looks dark with its own surface markings, what a great moment in space exploration
Pluto is still only 39" in width (and Charon 20"). But at last it's bigger than Jupiter's apparent diameter of 32". They should grow rapidly in the coming days!
Hi all, this 1st clear combined shot of both Pluto and it's moon Charon was taken on Wednesday July 8th from a distance of 3.7 million miles (about 6 million kms) from both the LORRI and RALPH instruments aboard the New Horizons spacecraft.
Keith..
If a telescope can fit into your backyard it's too small. If you can't move it, it's too big." -- John Dobson
3 years 4 months ago - 3 years 4 months ago#104401by Seanie_Morris
www.nasa.gov
is probably one of the best locations online for getting rapid updates on the mission today. Follow the link for LIVE NASA TV coverage later today (Irish Time).
Did you know that an upward revision of Pluto's size was conducted? It is now set at 2,370km, making it the largest of the bodies known beyond Neptune.
The features captured so far in the past few days have been mesmerising!
Seanie.
Midlands Astronomy Club.
Radio Presenter (Midlands 103), Space Enthusiast, Astronomy Outreach Co-ordinator.
Former IFAS Chairperson and Secretary.
Pluto looks magnificent, the large flat looking area to the south of the image appears like a large desert region. To the left of this region there is a great double impact crater, with one crater sitting inside its larger sibling and a rille heading away. The dark region on Charon looks a little like the Mare Orientale on the moon and there is great ray splashes from the large impact crater.
If these are the opening shots then we are in for some great times as more images are released and more details are revealed.
Bring it on.
Paul
Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better programs, and the universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the universe is winning.
I have seen Pluto a few times over the years. My first time was on the night of 24-25 April 1992 with my Coulter 13.1" (33.3 cm) Dobsonian. At that time it was on the borders of Serpens and Libra. I had no computer charts in those days!
For a recent (i.e. 2014) image of Pluto I took see my website:
Variable Star Nights
and follow the link to "Asteroids/EKB Objects".
A little off theme, but you mentioning your Coulter scope takes me back, the 10" version was my first real scope, ordered from the U.S. before the internet in the 80's. Cardboard tube, push pull focusser, no finder scope. I loved that scope.
Paul
Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better programs, and the universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the universe is winning.
After a hiatus of a few weeks, downloading of images of Pluto from the New Horizons spacecraft will resume in the next few days. Keep an eye on
pluto.jhuapl.edu/soc/Pluto-Encounter/index.php
for weekly updates.
Mike
Celestron 280 mm f/10 SCT
CG-5 mount
Toolbox full of bits n' bobs
Thermal underwear
The following user(s) said Thank You: michael_murphy
