New Horizons Pluto mission megathread (We're Here!!!)

Deleted · July 13, 2015, 07:06:08 PM

Since we are about to reach the end of one of the biggest unmanned missions since Voyager, I thought it would be appropriate to start a thread about it.

New Horizons most detailed observations of Pluto will begin tomorrow on July 14th 2015 and we will learn more about the former 9th planet than ever before.

Important links:

NASA official New Horizons page: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/main/index.html
Jet Propulsion Labratory Page:
NASA multimedia page and coverage schedule: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/
Edu site: http://pluto.jhuapl.edu

News and details about the Pluto system:

-the surface of Pluto is reddish simmilar to Mars
-Pluto is larger than original estimates portrayed it ( but still smal as hell)
-Pluto like Uranus rotates on it's side
-Pluto has an atmosphere
- there is a "heart" shaped feature on Pluto's surface
-Flyby was accomplished at 8AM EST
-Data will start arriving at around 9PM EST
-New Horizons has phoned in safe. Pictures and data will start becoming available as soon as tomorrow morning

Image/video Gallery

flyby gif

Best image so far

Pluto's "Heart"

Pluto's Uranus-like sideways orbit

Early detailed images of Pluto an Charron

To be added later.
Hey mods, feel free to edit this post yourselves and add any good vids or pics people post here.

More Than Mortal · July 13, 2015, 07:07:20 PM

Quote from: Majestic Star Dragon on July 13, 2015, 07:06:08 PM

Horisons

Fuck me.

Turkey · July 13, 2015, 07:08:28 PM

I've had the countdown as my homepage for a couple weeks. Here are some quick details:

YouTube

Deleted · July 13, 2015, 07:10:30 PM

Quote from: Meta Cognition on July 13, 2015, 07:07:20 PM

Quote from: Majestic Star Dragon on July 13, 2015, 07:06:08 PM
Horisons
Fuck me.

Give me a break. This iPad is a pile of garbage. I had to jump through hoops just to post that picture

Thun · July 13, 2015, 07:17:23 PM

lame, it looks just like the moon.

Deleted · July 13, 2015, 07:26:40 PM

Shit, where the fuck is Gassi when you need him?

Super Irish · July 13, 2015, 07:39:12 PM

Holy shit, it has an atmosphere?!

Naru · July 13, 2015, 08:50:54 PM

OH MY GOD IT'S BEAUTIFUL

TB · July 13, 2015, 08:51:49 PM

GOD I LOVE SCIENCE!

Deleted · July 13, 2015, 09:08:58 PM

Quote from: Totes not Naru or Gasai on July 13, 2015, 08:50:54 PM

OH MY GOD IT'S BEAUTIFUL

I don't think anyone expected Pluto to be red of all colors

The Lord Slide Rule · July 13, 2015, 09:15:43 PM

Thanks OP

No mass relay :/

Luciana · July 13, 2015, 09:25:38 PM

Is it really... red?

Naru · July 13, 2015, 09:27:48 PM

OMG PLUTO'S HEART IS COMING BACK INTO VIEW

Deleted · July 13, 2015, 10:06:13 PM

Quote from: Ironically on July 13, 2015, 09:15:43 PM

Thanks OP

No mass relay :/

Well that's just because we haven't unearthed the ruins in Mars yet. You must have patience

BaconShelf · July 14, 2015, 01:27:19 AM

Quote from: Suarez on July 13, 2015, 07:17:23 PM

lame, it looks just like the moon.

What did you expect? It has no water, nor plants, nor iron oxide so that's blue, green and deep res out o te question and there's no high-density gas clouds in the atmosphere to colour it like the others.

Mercury, Luna and Pluto are all virtually the same aside from size differences.

BaconShelf · July 14, 2015, 01:29:30 AM

Quote from: SuperIrish on July 13, 2015, 07:39:12 PM

Holy shit, it has an atmosphere?!

Anything with a substantial gravitational pull can have an atmosphere. Shit, our own moon has one.

The real interesting part is the composition of said atmosphere.

Thun · July 14, 2015, 02:07:17 AM

Quote from: BaconShelf on July 14, 2015, 01:27:19 AM

Quote from: Suarez on July 13, 2015, 07:17:23 PM
lame, it looks just like the moon.

What did you expect? It has no water, nor plants, nor iron oxide so that's blue, green and deep res out o te question and there's no high-density gas clouds in the atmosphere to colour it like the others.

Mercury, Luna and Pluto are all virtually the same aside from size differences.

Isn't Pluto supposed to be icy? Why is it yellow?

BaconShelf · July 14, 2015, 03:56:27 AM

Quote from: Suarez on July 14, 2015, 02:07:17 AM

Quote from: BaconShelf on July 14, 2015, 01:27:19 AM
Quote from: Suarez on July 13, 2015, 07:17:23 PM
lame, it looks just like the moon.

What did you expect? It has no water, nor plants, nor iron oxide so that's blue, green and deep res out o te question and there's no high-density gas clouds in the atmosphere to colour it like the others.

Mercury, Luna and Pluto are all virtually the same aside from size differences.
Isn't Pluto supposed to be icy? Why is it yellow?

It can't have ice if there's no water on the planet. If there is any ice, it will likely be in craters to the poles like Mercury and Luna. As for yellow colouration, could be a few factors. But we won't know until we eventually land a probe there and get samples of the rock for analysis.

Deleted · July 14, 2015, 06:57:52 AM

We're there

Kiwicake · July 14, 2015, 08:19:55 AM

Quote from: Majestic Star Dragon on July 14, 2015, 06:57:52 AM

We're there

It looks like it's made of ice cream

True Turquoise · July 14, 2015, 08:37:17 AM

Quote from: Luciana on July 13, 2015, 09:25:38 PM

Is it really... red?

...

No water

Thun · July 14, 2015, 09:40:34 AM

Is that big white spot that looks like fluorosis the heart?

The Lord Ruler · July 14, 2015, 11:14:14 AM

Did they find a mass relay yet?

Naru · July 14, 2015, 12:35:47 PM

Quote from: Majestic Star Dragon on July 14, 2015, 06:57:52 AM

We're there

OH MY GOD THE HEART, IT'S TOTES ADORBS

Naru · July 14, 2015, 01:08:03 PM

http://www.space.com/29885-pluto-atmosphere-to-be-revealed-by-nasa-new-horizons-spacecraft.html

The Lord Slide Rule · July 14, 2015, 01:31:49 PM

I wonder if we'll see suggestions of cryovulcanism, maybe even a thin atmosphere.

Also the dark bits. . .possibly organic(as in complex carbon compounds, not life) like on the comet Philae landed on.

The Lord Slide Rule · July 14, 2015, 04:17:27 PM

Check it

Jono · July 14, 2015, 05:02:48 PM

WHERE'S THE MASS RELAY?!

Deleted · July 14, 2015, 09:08:13 PM

New Horizons has phoned in

Deleted · July 14, 2015, 09:39:11 PM

"Every book of descriptive astronomy is today out of date"
-Presedent of the royal Astranomical society 1930 (discovery of Pluto)