Universe Today » Pluto

New Horizons Spots Neptune's Moon Triton

Anne Minard — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 23:13:47 +0000

New Horizons got a great shot of Neptune's moon Triton last fall, as it was trucking toward Pluto and the Kuiper Belt.

The mission was 2.33 billion miles (3.75 billion kilometers) from Neptune on Oct. 16, when its Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) locked onto the planet and snapped away. The craft was following a programmed sequence of commands as part of its annual checkout. NASA released the image Thursday afternoon.

Mission scientists say the shot was good practice for imaging Pluto, which New Horizons will do in 2015. Neptune's moon Triton and Pluto — the former planet retitled in 2006 as the ambassador to the Kuiper Belt — have much in common.

“Among the objects visited by spacecraft so far, Triton is by far the best analog of Pluto,” said New Horizons Principal Investigator Alan Stern.

(...)
Read the rest of New Horizons Spots Neptune's Moon Triton (428 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Pluto's Atmosphere Boasts Methane, Warmer Temps

Anne Minard — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:01:53 +0000

Pluto is certainly frigid, but new research has revealed its atmosphere is a bit warmer.

Astronomers using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope have found unexpectedly large amounts of methane in Pluto's atmosphere, which evidently helps it stay about 40 degrees warmer than the dwarf planet's surface. The atmosphere warms to -180 degrees Celsius (-356 degrees Fahrenheit), compared to a surface that's usually -220 degrees Celsius (-428 degrees Fahrenheit).

“With lots of methane in the atmosphere, it becomes clear why Pluto’s atmosphere is so warm,” said Emmanuel Lellouch of the Observatoire de Paris in France. Lellouch is lead author of the paper reporting the results, which is in press at the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.

(...)
Read the rest of Pluto's Atmosphere Boasts Methane, Warmer Temps (553 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Naming Pluto (Review)

Ian O'Neill — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 23:14:26 +0000

Naming Pluto promotional poster (© Father Films)

Naming Pluto explores the chain of events that lead to Pluto's naming and in 2007 sees Venetia Phair viewing Pluto for the very first time through a telescope, on her 89th birthday, 77 years after Pluto's discovery. A wonderful, intimate look into the story behind how Pluto got its name. A review of the short film directed and produced by Ginita Jimenez, distributed by Father Films.

In recent years, Pluto has seen its status change from being a planet to what many people view as a planetary underclass. The reasons behind this have been set out by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) to cater for the increasing number of Solar System bodies being discovered; the traditional nine planets have had to make room for a growing minor planet population. Unfortunately, Pluto was at the front line as it inhabits a region of space dominated by the gas giant Neptune, plus thousands of other Kuiper belt objects. Although the mysterious body lost its planetary status (as it does not have the ability to "clear its own orbit"), it has taken the title of "dwarf planet" and now has an entire class of object named in its honour: "Plutoids".

However, the recent tumultuous history of the traditional "9th planet" has not impacted the fascination we have for Pluto. It has, and always will be, viewed with intrigue and wonder.

The key to Pluto's romantic tale begins in the year 1930 when a mysterious heavenly was discovered by Clyde Tombaugh, a 23 year-old astronomer working at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. However, the honour of naming Pluto didn't rest on Tombaugh's shoulders. Over 5000 miles away in Oxford (UK) an 11 year old girl was having breakfast with her grandfather, wondering what this newly discovered planet should be called…
(...)
Read the rest of Naming Pluto (Review) (958 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Plutoid Eris is Changing… But We Don't Know Why

Ian O'Neill — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 03:44:29 +0000

Eris, the largest dwarf planet beyond Neptune, is currently at its furthest point in its orbit from the Sun (an aphelion of nearly 100 AU). At this distance Eris doesn't receive very much sunlight and any heating of the Plutoid will be at a minimum. However, two recent observations of Eris have shown a rapid change in the surface composition of the body. Spectroscopic analysis suggests the concentration of frozen nitrogen has dramatically altered during the two years Eris had been at this furthest point from the Sun. This is very unexpected, there should be very little change in nitrogen concentration at this point in its 557 year orbit.

So what is going on with this strange Plutoid? Is there a mystery mechanism affecting the surface conditions of this frozen moon? Could there be some cryovolcanic process erupting? Or is the explanation a little more mundane?
(...)
Read the rest of Plutoid Eris is Changing… But We Don't Know Why (558 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Charon Imaged by Amateur Astronomers

Nancy Atkinson — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:45:12 +0000

This past summer, a group of seven amateur astronomers from Italy worked on an observation campaign of Pluto, with hopes of capturing an image of its moon, Charon. "Imaging Charon is very difficult and nobody has spotted it with amateur equipment, so far," said Daniele Gasparri, one of the members of the group. The team made several attempts, and finally, one member of the group, Antonello Medugno, took this interesting image. "After many calculations," said Gasparri, "we are sure that this image shows clearly Pluto and Charon, for the first time with amateur equipment." Comparing the image to the graphic which shows the position of Pluto and Charon on the same date, it's obvious, they nailed it! This is quite a feat considering their equipment was an "amateur" 14-inch telescope! Also, as The Bad Astronomers points out, Charon wasn't discovered until 1978, and then a 61-inch telescope was used!

Compare their image to one taken by Hubble:
(...)
Read the rest of Charon Imaged by Amateur Astronomers (111 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Stowaways Revealed on New Horizons Spacecraft

Nancy Atkinson — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 21:44:10 +0000

This object is a stowaway on board New Horizons. Credit: JHU/APL

The New Horizons spacecraft has now spent over 1,000 days wending its way to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt. To celebrate the milestone, the New Horizons team decided to reveal the secret stowaways on board the spacecraft. Nine objects (can you guess why there are nine?!) were attached and sent along on the ten-year journey to the outer reaches of our solar system. Believe it or not, included in the items are one actual person, and parts of several thousands of other people…
(...)
Read the rest of Stowaways Revealed on New Horizons Spacecraft (365 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Pluto Spacecraft Gets Brain Transplant

Nancy Atkinson — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 19:58:28 +0000

Still seven years away from its rendezvous with Pluto, the New Horizons spacecraft was awoken from hibernation for the second annual checkout of all systems. The spacecraft and its team back on Earth will also undergo three months of operations as the New Horizons will make observations of Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. But the first order of business was uploading an upgraded version of the software that runs the spacecraftâ€™s Command and Data Handling system. â€œOur â€˜brain transplantâ€™ was a success,â€ says New Horizons Principal Investigator Alan Stern. â€œThe new software â€“ which guides how New Horizons carries out commands and collects and stores data â€“ is now on the spacecraftâ€™s main computer and operating, over a billion miles from home!â€
(...)
Read the rest of Pluto Spacecraft Gets Brain Transplant (217 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Tyson and Sykes Duke Out the Great Planet Debate; Flatow Almost Flattened

Nancy Atkinson — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:04:36 +0000

A debate today between astronomer Neil deGrasse Tyson and planetary scientist Mark Sykes, moderated by NPR's Ira Flatow, addressed the issue of Pluto's planetary status. There was lots of arm-waving and finger-pointing, endless interruptions, disagreements on details big and small, and battling one-liners. The two scientists sat at a table with the moderator between them and Flatow was often obscured by Tyson and Sykes getting in each other's faces in eye-to-eye confrontation. At one point, Flatow was hit by Tyson's ebullient arm motions. Yes, it was heated. But it was fun, too. It ended up being not so much a debate between the Pluto-huggers and the Pluto-haters as a disagreement over the lexicon of astronomy and planetary science and, primarily, the definition of a planet. Pluto's planetary status was definitely not decided here, and the debate concluded with an amicable agree-to-disagree concurrence that the scientific process is an ongoing, evolving practice. But it wasn't without fireworks.
(...)
Read the rest of Tyson and Sykes Duke Out the Great Planet Debate; Flatow Almost Flattened (1,161 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

The Pluto Revolt: Leading Astronomers Want the Plutoid to be Reinstated as a Planet

Ian O'Neill — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 23:00:39 +0000

If you thought Pluto was going quietly and giving up its planetary status without a fight, think again. Leading astronomers have spoken out against the International Astronomical Union (IAU) decision to classify the dwarf planet as a "Plutoid," described by some critics as a "celestial underclass." The IAU decision was made after it was deemed that Pluto cannot be called a "planet." Although the spherical rocky body can tick most attributes of being a "planet," the IAU pointed out that Pluto is too small to be capable of gravitationally clearing its own orbit (plus it periodically crosses the path of Neptune's orbit); it should therefore be called a "dwarf planet." Back in June however, the IAU gloriously announced that Pluto should be now be re-classified as a "Plutoid" and any other Pluto-like planets should follow suit. But on Thursday, at a major conference in Maryland, leading astronomers will refute the Plutoid classification saying the IAU re-naming is confusing and unworkable…
(...)
Read the rest of The Pluto Revolt: Leading Astronomers Want the Plutoid to be Reinstated as a Planet (856 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

2012: Planet X is not Nibiru

Ian O'Neill — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:44:23 +0000

The Solar System's outer reaches still contain many minor planets yet to be discovered. Ever since the search for Planet X began in the early 20th Century, the possibility of a hypothetical planet orbiting the Sun beyond the Kuiper Belt has fuelled many Doomsday theories and speculation that Planet X is actually the Sun's long lost binary sibling. But why the fear about the Planet X/Doomsday combination? Surely Planet X is just an unknown, hypothetical object and nothing sinister?

Related 2012 articles:

As I've previously discussed in "2012: No Planet X", doomsayers have linked the modern day search for Planet X, the ancient Mayan 2012 Prophecy and the Sumerian mythical planet Nibiru, culminating in bad news for December 21st 2012. However, the astronomical evidence for these links is seriously flawed.

Yesterday (Wednesday, June 18th), Japanese researchers announced news that their theoretical search for a large mass in the outer Solar System has produced results. From their calculations, there might just be a planet, possibly a bit bigger than a Plutoid but certainly smaller than Earth orbiting beyond 100 AU from the Sun. But before we get carried away, this is not Nibiru, this is not proof of the end of the world in 2012; it is a new and very exciting development in the search for minor planets beyond the Kuiper Belt…
(...)
Read the rest of 2012: Planet X is not Nibiru (954 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Why Pluto is No Longer a Planet

Fraser Cain — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:54:53 +0000

This has got to be be one of the most heartbreaking questions I get asked, "Why Isn't Pluto a Planet". And I get it a lot. I was expecting that a few years after the International Astronomical Union's controversial decision, the debate would have settled down and people would finally accept it. But no, it's still a sore point for many people – Pluto is not a planet (let that sink in). In this article, I'll explain the events that led up to the decision, the current state of planetary definition, and any hope Pluto has for the future. Let's find out why Pluto is no longer considered a planet.
(...)
Read the rest of Why Pluto is No Longer a Planet (1,091 words)

© Fraser for Universe Today, 2008. | Permalink | 266 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: dwarf planet, planet, Pluto

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Pluto's Moons, Nix and Hydra, may have been Adopted

Ian O'Neill — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 05:50:28 +0000

How many moons does Pluto have? The mini-moons of Pluto, Nix and Hydra, were discovered in 2005 (but named in 2006) during an observation campaign by the Hubble Space Telescope. The discovery of these mini-moons increase the number of natural satellites orbiting Pluto to three (including larger moon Charon). But where did these satellites come from? The current accepted theory on the formation on the large moon, Charon, is much like the theory supporting the creation of Earth's Moon. It is thought that a large impact between two Large Kuiper Belt Objects chipped Charon away from a proto-Pluto, putting the chunk of Pluto mass into orbit. Over the years, tidal forces slowed the pair and Charon was allowed to settle into its present-day orbit. Recent theory suggests that Nix and Hydra are a by product of this collision, merely shattered fragments of the huge impact. But there are problems with this idea. Could Nix and Hydra have come from somewhere other than the Pluto-Charon impact?
(...)
Read the rest of Pluto's Moons, Nix and Hydra, may have been Adopted (621 words)

© ian for Universe Today, 2008. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Charon, Hydra, New Horizons, Nix, Pluto

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Podcast: Pluto and the Icy Outer Solar System

Astronomy Cast — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 21:07:11 +0000

It's been a long journey, 64 episodes, but now we're back where we began: Pluto. Last time we talked about how Pluto lost its planethood status, so we won't go over all that again. This time we're going to talk about Pluto, its moons, the Kuiper belt, and the other icy objects that inhabit the outer Solar System.
Click here to download the episode

Pluto and the Icy Outer Solar System – Show notes and transcript

Or subscribe to: astronomycast.com/podcast.xml with your podcatching software.

Go here if you'd like some Pluto pictures.

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Pluto's Moon Charon has Geysers Too

Fraser Cain — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 20:49:04 +0000

It's only been a few months since the discovery of ice geysers on Saturn's moon Enceladus, and now this dynamic process is turning up all over the Solar System. Astronomers think they've found a similar phenomenon on one of the strangest places: welling up from the surface of Pluto's moon Charon.
(...)
Read the rest of Pluto's Moon Charon has Geysers Too (229 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Sorry Pluto, Eris is Bigger

Fraser Cain — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 18:56:13 +0000

For those of you hoping that Pluto the dwarf planet would get its full planethood status restored again, the news isn't looking good. The most recent observations peg the newly discovered dwarf planet Eris as being 27% more massive. And if Pluto is a planet again, shouldn't the even larger Eris get to be a planet too? Should we have 8 planets, or 10 or 20? Oh, it's madness.
(...)
Read the rest of Sorry Pluto, Eris is Bigger (183 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Torrent of New Jupiter Images from New Horizons

Fraser Cain — Thu, 03 May 2007 20:11:09 +0000

Although its primary target will be Pluto, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is taking the time to do a little science along the way. During its recent Jupiter flyby, the spacecraft was able to test out its scientific instruments as a dress rehearsal for its final Pluto encounter. NASA held a big press conference this week, and released dozens of new images and scientific findings gathered by New Horizons.
(...)
Read the rest of Torrent of New Jupiter Images from New Horizons (191 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

More Images from New Horizon's Jupiter Flyby

Fraser Cain — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 23:56:27 +0000

Even though New Horizon's Jupiter flyby happened weeks ago, scientists are only just starting to crunch through the data sent back. They're revealing better and better images of Jupiter, taken by the spacecraft's powerful instruments. The image attached to this story was taken using New Horizon's LEISA infrared camera. It's a false colour photograph – not what you'd actually see if you were looking at Jupiter – but the fine details in the image are impressive.
(...)
Read the rest of More Images from New Horizon's Jupiter Flyby (63 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Chandra and Hubble Imaged Jupiter During New Horizons Flyby

Fraser Cain — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 22:14:25 +0000

While NASA's New Horizon spacecraft was making its gravity assisted flyby past Jupiter, some friends back at home were watching to help give the science some perspective. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory gathered images of Jupiter for several days before the flyby, and the combined photographs were released today.
(...)
Read the rest of Chandra and Hubble Imaged Jupiter During New Horizons Flyby (118 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

New Horizon's First View of Pluto

Fraser Cain — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 01:51:46 +0000

Take a look at this photograph. See Pluto? It's that little orange speck. This photograph was taken by the Pluto-bound New Horizons spacecraft. Although Pluto is just a tiny dot today, it's going to get a lot bigger over the next 10 years when the spacecraft makes its close encounter in 2015. New Horizons used its Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) to capture images of Pluto's region of space over several days. Scientists then analyzed the images, looking for an object moving at the right speed across several frames.
(...)
Read the rest of New Horizon's First View of Pluto (652 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Podcast: Pluto's Planetary Identity Crisis

Fraser Cain — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 16:44:22 +0000

Pluto. It's a planet, then it's not. This week we review Pluto's history, from discovery to demotion by the International Astronomical Union. Learn the 3 characteristics that make up a planet, and why Pluto now fails to make the grade.
(...)
Read the rest of Podcast: Pluto's Planetary Identity Crisis (80 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

New Horizons' Telescope Sees First Light

Fraser Cain — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 17:36:53 +0000

Although New Horizons is still more than 9 years away from reaching Pluto, it's ready to do some science along the way. The spacecraft passed an important milestone this week when it opened the protective cover on its Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) and took a photograph of the Messier 7 star cluster. Stars were visible in this cluster down to 12th magnitude, which matches the instrument's pre-launch calibration. New Horizons will start imaging Jupiter with LORRI as it approaches a Feb. 28, 2007 flyby.
(...)
Read the rest of New Horizons' Telescope Sees First Light (623 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Pluto's Out of the Planet Club

Fraser Cain — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 17:10:01 +0000

Last year we had 9 planets. Recently we were informed it would grow to 12. Now we've only got 8. The International Astronomical Union, currently meeting in Prague, voted on August 24, 2006 to demote Pluto down from planethood status. Now Pluto, Charon, Ceres and the newly discovered 2003 UB313 (aka Xena) will merely be known as "dwarf planets". Under the new definition, planets must orbit a star, be spherical in shape, and clear out their neighbourhood of orbital debris. Pluto has failed to fulfill the third requirement, so it's official – Pluto is not a planet.
(...)
Read the rest of Pluto's Out of the Planet Club (618 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Officials Propose 12 Planets in the Solar System

Fraser Cain — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 18:27:20 +0000

The International Astronomical Union, currently meeting in Prague, has announced a proposal that would boost the number of planets in the Solar System to 12. Under their new classification, the asteroid Ceres, Pluto's moon Charon, and the newly discovered UB313 (aka Xena) would join the traditional 9 planets we're familiar with. Any additional large bodies would also be described as planets. The IAU will make a final vote on this proposal on August 24.
(...)
Read the rest of Officials Propose 12 Planets in the Solar System (960 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Pluto's New Moons are Named Nix and Hydra

Fraser Cain — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 23:41:11 +0000

The International Astronomical Union approved new names for Pluto's recently discovered tiny moons. Previously designated S/2005 P 1 and 2, the moons will now bear the names Hydra and Nix. In mythology, Nix is the goddess of darkness and night, while the hydra is a monster with the body of a serpent and nine heads. Although they're faint dots right now, NASA's New Horizons probe will fly pas them in 2015, and map them in much more detail.
(...)
Read the rest of Pluto's New Moons are Named Nix and Hydra (564 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Pluto's Planethood Will Be Decided Shortly

Fraser Cain — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 05:01:46 +0000

Pluto has been considered a planet since its discovery, but this position has come under threat with the discovery of 2003 UB313 (aka Xena), an object larger than Pluto orbiting out further in the Solar System. The International Astronomical Union will be meeting in August to decide on the fate of Pluto. By September, we could have 8 or 10 planets in the Solar System, but there won't be 9 any more.
(...)
Read the rest of Pluto's Planethood Will Be Decided Shortly (397 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh