New Horizons After Pluto - http://clapway.com/2015/07/15/new-horizons-after-pluto567/

After traveling the 3 billion miles, after surviving the radioactive environment of space for 9 years, after carrying the ashes of the astronomer who discovered the dwarf planet, Clyde Tombaugh to his Pluto, the piano-sized probe New Horizons will be constantly transmitting data from its flyby for those of us to ogle and study. The information contained in New Horizons’ transmissions are categorized as low, medium and high priority. New Horizons officials say its final transmission will be in October or November of next year.

NEW HORIZONS EXIST BEYOND PLUTO

The probe was not sent out for the sole purpose of exploring the Plutonian system (i.e. Pluto and its moons). New Horizons loses several watts of power every year, but it still has enough power remaining to function for 20 additional years, and there’s plenty else to see in the outer reaches of our solar system.

TO THE KUIPER BELT

For starters, the spacecraft will penetrate even farther into the Kuiper Belt, a spheroid assemblage of asteroids encapsulating the entire solar system. The largest phenomenon in our system, the Kuiper Belt is host to over 100,000 miniature worlds we’ve never been to before.

Once beyond the Kuiper Belt, New Horizons will follow the voyage of Voyager 1 & 2, a pair of twin, tank-sized probes that gave us our first tour of the outer planets in the seventies and early eighties. Now New Horizons can also move into its mission’s final phase, “to explore the dep reaches of the heliosphere,” said principal investigator Alan Stern. He continues: “Eventually, we’ll get to a point where we can’t operate the primary spacecraft computer and the communications system. We’ve estimated that that point will be reached sometime in the mid 2030s, roughly 20 years from now…[o]ver those next 20 years, if a spacecraft continues to be healthy, it could operate and return scientific data.”

AND BEYOND

If the probe’s “health” is maintained, then perhaps it, like the Voyager probes, could be among the first human artifacts to leave our solar system, and enter the interstellar frontier, where it will eventually go cold, and enter a deep slumber as it drifts for an eternity.

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New Horizons After Pluto

New Faces and Mysterious Spots of Pluto Captured Thanks to New Horizons - http://clapway.com/2015/07/02/new-faces-and-mysterious-spots-of-pluto-captured-thanks-to-new-horizons654/

The New Horizons spacecraft is closing in on Pluto, and every day it sends fascinating new images of the dwarf planet that–as expected–are exceeding our expectations. The most recent photos show two distinct faces and a series of intriguing spots in full color. Earlier worries of lethal space debris have been reneged, much to the New Horizons’ NASA team’s relief.

IMAGE ORIENTATION

The newest images of Pluto and its moon Charon, captured by New Horizons’ Long-Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) and its Ralph Instrument, show the two bodies as they would appear to the naked eye, with half of Pluto imaged over its circular body (on the right). This would mean that what looks like the south pole is actually the equator.

INTRIGUING FEATURES TO NOTE

Around the equator, or what appears as the South Pole, are spots of about 300 miles (480 km) in diameter, with a surface area approximately the size of Missouri. These spots seem to have consistent size and spacing, and they trace a band across the dwarf planet. Their origin is still a mystery to scientists, but some answers may be revealed upon New Horizons’ arrival on July 14th.

“It’s a real puzzle – we don’t know what the spots are, and we can’t wait to find out,” Dr. Alan Stern of Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) announced from Boulder, Colorado. He is also New Horizons’ principal investigator.

CHARON IS MYSTERIOUS, TOO

Another puzzle lies in wait in the form of finding out why and how Pluto differs so much from its dark and gray moon Charon. When two bodies form in space, they are generally composed of the same material, and so are expected to appear as such.

BACK TO PLUTO

Pluto’s color has been confirmed by these images. It is a brown planet, whose color is the result of “radiation chemistry acting on the methane and nitrogen ices there,” said Dr. Stern. But a stranger surprise is yet to come, for both the Lorri and Ralph Instrument are going to search for clouds.

CLOUDS ON PLUTO?

Science team postdoc Kelsi Singer of SwRI said “we’re looking for clouds in our images using a number of techniques…if we find clouds, their presence will allow us to track the speeds and directions of Pluto’s winds.”

Some artist renderings of what Pluto may look like from low orbit can really take one aback–thin, wispy systems of white contrails all but rotating across the brown and yellow landscape. If this surreal possibility turns out to be true, it could indicate that Pluto has a much more complex weather system than we’d originally thought.

NEW HORIZONS ITINERARY UPDATES

NASA gave the all clear for the spacecraft to continue its approach to the Plutonian system yesterday, after several weeks of scanning for dust clouds, rings, hidden moons or other interplanetary hazards posing an imminent threat to the probe. As a last ditch effort, the team even considered the possibility of using the large high gain antenna dish (used to communicate with us, on Earth) as a physical shield against debris. Space dust is lethal because, regardless of size, a particle travelling at 30,800 miles per hour (49,600km/h) would turn anything we’ve built into swiss cheese.

The New Horizons team engaged a 23 second thruster burn to increase the probe’s speed, but overall “we’re breathing a collective sigh of relief knowing that the way appears to be clear,” remarked Jim Green, director of NASA’s planetary science division. The New Horizons team was worried they’d have to adopt a Safe Haven by Other Trajectory (SHBOT), a decision they needed to have made by this week, but it turned out to be an unnecessary precaution.

PRELIMINARY CONCLUSIONS

The New Horizons team partially expected to detect new moons or rings, but the lack of either was a “bit of a scientific surprise,” to Dr. Stern. “As a scientist I’m a bit disappointed that we didn’t spot additional moons to study, but as a New Horizons team member I am much more relieved that we didn’t find something that could harm the spacecraft,” added John Spencer of SwRI, leader of the New Horizons hazard analysis team. The possibility of a faint ring does exist, but it would be extremely sparse and almost invisible to equipment.

The path is open and the stage is set for New Horizons to make history in the age of interplanetary exploration in twelve days’ time.

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New Faces and Mysterious Spots of Pluto Captured Thanks to New Horizons

NEW HORIZONS ON FINAL APPROACH TO PLUTO - http://clapway.com/2015/06/28/new-horizons-on-final-approach-to-pluto432/

The teams in charge of the interplanetary satellite New Horizons are burning the midnight oil in an attempt to correct the spacecraft’s trajectory and flight time. The ETA for these corrections was June 14th, so hopefully everything turns out okay when it reaches Pluto.

The director of space navigation and flight dynamics for KinetX Aerospace, Dr. Bobby Williams said this series of course corrections was just an early part of three advanced planned activities.

WHAT WILL NEW HORIZONS DO WITH PLUTO?

Every day, NASA releases images of Pluto, but the upcoming flyby means that New Horizons’ Long-Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) camera will finally be able to photograph the closest images ever taken of Pluto. This will be at a distance of approximately 7,750 miles from Pluto’s frigid crust. As such, Williams explained, these will be the most clear and focused images of Pluto ever, and things are only going to get better.

BUT WE DIDN’T COME HERE JUST FOR THE TOUR

New Horizons will also assist scientists hoping to estimate the mass of Pluto and its moons, a subject of long-standing curiosity among scientists. The only spacecraft that have been farther away from Earth are the twin probes Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, launched in the 1970s to study the outer-planets and the edges of our solar system. One passed by Jupiter and Saturn, only to slingshot up out of our solar system in a vertical vector, while the other followed its curve out, passing by Uranus and Neptune before wandering out into that massive abyss. The two are still transmitting data by radio.

New Horizon’s mission upon arrival is to investigate the unknown surface of Pluto, supplying more data with which to hopefully quell the decades-long debate about the categorical status of the little planet (many scientists believe Pluto to be too small, and with too little mass to qualify as a planet).

WHAT CAN WE LOOK AT NOW

We have been informed that the newest photos reveal a bright spot on Pluto’s polar cap. The meaning of this luminescence is still under investigation. Hopefully, the Plutonians are not alerted to New Horizons’ presence.

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NEW HORIZONS ON FINAL APPROACH TO PLUTO

"Okay, this baby name may be hard for your kid to pronounce but she will get it one day." - http://clapway.com/2015/06/25/5-moon-baby-names-that-will-ingrain-success-in-your-child/

Names have been said to have the power to shape a person’s destiny. In TV and movies, I have heard people talk about how someone can have a strong and powerful name. Beyonce. Powerful name. Madonna. Powerful name. Sexy Timberlake. I mean Justin Timberlake. Powerful name. Conversely, a person’s name can have a negative impact. It is no secret that some hiring mangers will discard someone’s application based on a name. New parents should really put thought into their newborn baby names.

The moons in our solar system have been given unique names. Many moons have been named after mythological figures. Although the individuals that these moons have been named after have incredible stories, the direct meanings of these moon names are what should really be important. If we can start to ignore the abnormal pronunciations and spelling of names and focus on the meanings, people can start to really flourish. Here are five moon baby names that are sure to ingrain success in your child:

Phobos

The larger between the two Mars moons, Phobos means fear. Name your child Phobos and he could become a kick-ass spy. Feared by many and ruthless when need be, give your kid the name Phobos and he won’t go down without a fight.

Metis

Metis is the innermost moon of Jupiter and named after the first wife of Zeus. In Greek, Metis means wisdom. With the name Metis, your baby could grow up to be a leader, full of intelligence and advice.

Praxidike

Okay, this baby name may be hard for your kid to pronounce but she will get it one day. And if anyone decides to make fun of her for it, she will be the judge and the jury. Praxidike is the retrograde irregular moon orbiting Jupiter. Praxidike means exercise justice. Your little toddler will one day become a powerful judge or a correctional officer. Are you thinking about using any of these baby names yet?

Prometheus

This one is definitely one of the better baby names. Prometheus is the inner moon of Saturn and means foresight. I wouldn’t say that your kid will be able to see the future but he will be able see problems before they happen. Being proactive will get him far.

Pandora

This is actually my favorite of the moon baby names. I can see myself screaming Pandora at her piano recital, hip-hop dance performance, and her winning science fair presentation. Pandora is an inner moon of Saturn and means all gifts. This baby will grow up to do everything and then some.

Don’t be afraid to be creative with your baby names. Give your children something to reflect upon and build off of! Let their name instill confidence in their life and help them walk with pride. These moon baby names will forge a destiny for your child that is too great to overlook.

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5 Moon Baby Names That Will Ingrain Success In Your Child

Swapping out Mars for Titan... - http://clapway.com/2015/06/23/forget-mars-were-moving-to-saturns-moon-titan/

Our planet is the most amazing miracle. Not even just ours, but planets in general. Space has always interested me. You might have seen my blog on the most interesting Black Holes recently, so you know all about my youth as a space nerd. If you don’t, check it out. Black holes are insane. Anyway, so I was a space nerd and I know I’m not the only one either. Ancient Aliens on the History Channel is doing quite well in their ratings.

One of my favorite family trips was to the McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis, Texas. They would have special viewings and events and such, and one year when we went, I got to see Saturn. I have to tell you that from what I saw in that telescope, Saturn is just amazing. It’s so beautiful! While I don’t think any other planet compares to Earth when talking about beauty, (who can forget about the amazing sunsets we see and places like the Grand Canyon or the beaches of Greece?) Saturn came close. But what I’ve learned about Saturn’s moon, Titan might make it my second favorite rock.

Saturn’s Moon, Titan, Has More Earth Like Similarities

Scientists previously made a huge discovery that some of you, like myself, might’ve missed. Apparently, Saturn’s moon, Titan was found to have actual liquid on its surface. It houses a sea made of liquid methane. Not an ideal location to start planting your farm or anything, but it’s a pretty awesome discovery. Now, scientists are thinking that Titan might actually have an internal ocean made of water and ammonia. Massive movement of surface structures suggested that they had been resting on liquid. This theory hasn’t yet been fully proven, but they’re confident that it’s there and making changes to the surface of the moon.

Mars or Titan: Where will you build your new home?

Recent research suggested that Mars at one point might have had living organisms on it. Signs of water have been found and according to NASA, Mars might’ve had as much water as Earth’s Arctic Ocean. These new discoveries show not only an amazing advancement in our technology, but in our knowledge of the solar system we are a part of.

I think I’ll stay on Earth a bit longer, I kind of like it here. But won’t it be cool when we eventually see not only flights to Mars, but to Titan too. Would you take the opportunity to live on another planet? 

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Forget Mars, We’re Moving to Saturn’s Moon, Titan

"This is the first reconnaissance mission to explore the far away world of Pluto." - http://clapway.com/2015/06/22/nasa-spacecraft-records-first-color-video-of-pluto-charon-123/

 

An update on NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft’s mission: Its successfully allowed NASA to capture the first color movies of the dwarf planet Pluto and its moon Charon.

PLUTO, NOW IN COLOR

NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft snapped images of Pluto and Charon on nine occasions during a period from May 29-June 3 using its “Ralph” Multicolor Visible Imaging Camera. The blue, red, and near-infrared images were used to create the first movies of Pluto and its largest moon, and in near-true color.

The New Horizons team used the same set of images to create two videos—one showing a Pluto-centric view, and the other showing a barycentric view. As its name suggests, Pluto is centered in the Pluto-centric version, and Charon’s movements are shown in relation to Pluto’s position. The movements of both dwarf planet and its satellite are shown in the barycentric version, as they move around their shared center of gravity.

“It’s exciting to see Pluto and Charon in motion and in color,” says New Horizons Principal Investigator Alan Stern. He continues, “Even at this low resolution, we can see that Pluto and Charon have different colors—Pluto is beige-orange, while Charon is grey. Exactly why they are so different is the subject of debate.”

A BINARY PLANET

Pluto’s discovery in 1930 makes it a relatively recent addition to our solar system. It was demoted from full planet status in 2006 when similar-sized objects were detected in the Kuiper Belt between Neptune and Pluto (Although Pluto is officially recognized as a dwarf planet, its status is debated, and some scientists still regard Pluto as an official planet).

Aside from its size, Pluto is special compared to other objects in our solar system because of its large moon Charon. According to NASA, planets in our solar system typically have a planet:moon mass ratio of 10,000:1. Pluto and Charon’s is 8:1, which puts the center-of-mass between the two objects outside the surface of these objects.

This special feature earns Pluto-Charon the title of binary planet. And this is the only recognized binary planet in our solar system.

EXPLORING THE UNKNOWN

The New Horizons spacecraft launched on January 19, 2006, and just began its study of Pluto in the summer of 2015.

This is the first reconnaissance mission to explore the far away world of Pluto. So New Horizons is providing scientists with valuable information about the dwarf planet that will hopefully shed light on the geology, atmosphere, and interior makeup of Pluto.

The spacecraft’s extended mission will explore other worlds in the Kuiper Belt. New Horizons is scheduled to make its closest approach to Pluto on July 14, 2015.

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NASA Spacecraft Records First Color Video of Pluto, Charon