New Pluto images discussed |
New Pluto images discussed |
Feb 2 2010, 10:23 AM
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#1
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3516 Joined: 4-November 05 From: North Wales Member No.: 542 |
Telecon announcement (via Jupiter List - thanks)
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/jupiter_list/message/8170 |
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Feb 2 2010, 02:51 PM
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#2
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Interplanetary Dumpster Diver Group: Admin Posts: 4404 Joined: 17-February 04 From: Powell, TN Member No.: 33 |
This is going to be awesome. That's all I'm saying.
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Feb 2 2010, 05:15 PM
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#3
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Member Group: Members Posts: 100 Joined: 30-November 05 From: Antibes, France Member No.: 594 |
Signs of cryovolcanic activities?
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Feb 2 2010, 06:27 PM
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#4
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Senior Member Group: Admin Posts: 4763 Joined: 15-March 05 From: Glendale, AZ Member No.: 197 |
Discovery of multiple bodies and/or rings?
-------------------- If Occam had heard my theory, things would be very different now.
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Feb 2 2010, 06:41 PM
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#5
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3648 Joined: 1-October 05 From: Croatia Member No.: 523 |
I'm starting to really hate this teasing and hyping up.
I'm gonna go with rings. Or something else. -------------------- |
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Feb 2 2010, 07:22 PM
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#6
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Member Group: Members Posts: 107 Joined: 29-January 09 Member No.: 4589 |
Penguins?
-------------------- Protein structures and Mars fun - http://www.flickr.com/photos/nick960/
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Feb 2 2010, 07:51 PM
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#7
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1452 Joined: 26-July 08 Member No.: 4270 |
We're told that the HST images will help better interpret 30 years of Pluto observations from other telescopes. This, IMHO, rules out rings and moons. I'm guessing it has something to do with the dark spots (Finally directly observed?). Been waiting for images of Pluto since HST got fixed up. Pluto and Ceres.
-------------------- -- Hungry4info (Sirius_Alpha)
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Feb 2 2010, 08:01 PM
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#8
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3516 Joined: 4-November 05 From: North Wales Member No.: 542 |
You echo my own thoughts exactly there H4I (about Ceres too). Exactly what observations over 30 years? I note that Charon was discovered in 1978. Something to do with the relationship between the two?? Rotation not exactly synchronous???
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Feb 2 2010, 08:02 PM
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#9
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1452 Joined: 26-July 08 Member No.: 4270 |
The dark spots on Pluto were found by watching mutual occultations between Pluto and Charon. As you state, Charon was found around 30 years ago. This is why direct observation of Pluto's dark spots is my guess. (Spectroscopy would be an added bonus for sure!)
If the rotation between the two wasn't exactly synchronous, that should have fudged up the light curve-derived albedo maps of Pluto and Charon. Edit: On second thought, maybe it did. What's with those sharp longitudinal markings anyway? -------------------- -- Hungry4info (Sirius_Alpha)
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Feb 2 2010, 08:47 PM
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#10
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3516 Joined: 4-November 05 From: North Wales Member No.: 542 |
Maybe it's those lightcurves that are now in need of 'better interpretation' meaning there was something amiss with the earlier one? Wild guesswork, but great fun.
Remember Mercury's rotation was long assumed to be synchronous, and a lot of maps had been produced on that assumption. |
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Feb 2 2010, 09:01 PM
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#11
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Junior Member Group: Members Posts: 87 Joined: 9-November 07 Member No.: 3958 |
Odd - the HST archive search doesn't show any Pluto observations since March 2006, so these are not new WFC3 or ACS data under discussion. (Unless the target name was listed as something else...)
Maybe something to do with the changing aspect of the illuminated part of Pluto with time helping break degeneracies of where spots are, since regions in permanent sunlight didn't give a handle on what the pattern was there? |
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Feb 2 2010, 10:04 PM
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#12
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1452 Joined: 26-July 08 Member No.: 4270 |
Maybe something to do with the changing aspect of the illuminated part of Pluto with time helping break degeneracies of where spots are. I'm not sure how this would affect anything. The albedo maps were determined from Pluto-Charon mutual occultations. And while I remember Mercury's rotation being assumed synchronous, I'm unaware of maps based on that. o_O -------------------- -- Hungry4info (Sirius_Alpha)
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Feb 2 2010, 10:08 PM
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#13
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1887 Joined: 20-November 04 From: Iowa Member No.: 110 |
I see Mike Brown is involved, my guess:
On close examination the images reveal a giant sign stating "I am too a planet" ducks and runs |
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Feb 2 2010, 10:13 PM
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#14
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3516 Joined: 4-November 05 From: North Wales Member No.: 542 |
Unless the target name was listed as something else... I think there must be new observations. Does Pluto have a Minor Planet number? I notice Mike Brown is involved and he seems to be stalked by people trying to pinch his discoveries, so (minor) subterfuge is not out of the question. I've checked his blog - no hints there. |
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Feb 2 2010, 10:17 PM
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#15
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1592 Joined: 14-October 05 From: Vermont Member No.: 530 |
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