Comments on: Jupiter from a height

By: Mungascr

Mungascr — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 08:28:23 +0000

Just imagine running like mad, grabbing a lampost with one hand using it to swing around and letting go almost as soon as you grabbed it and jumping …

NASA turn Jupiter into a star? No way! The Monoliths maybe ..

By: Troy

Troy — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 02:43:44 +0000

Links: Cartoon explaining how gravity assist works:
http://www.planetary.org/saturn/images/gravity-assist_cartoon_578×333.jpg

Peoria Solarsystem model:
http://www.lakeview-museum.org/index-solarsystem.html

By: Troy

Troy — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 02:01:35 +0000

I’ve loved Alan Stern’s solioqueys about the status of “his” spacecraft. Is it just me or does the John Hopkins APL give much better spacecraft information than JPL ever has? The Cassini status reports always seemed better for Mr. Data, but the NH reports have been really nice and fun to read, like a human is on board.
Getting to Jupiter in little over a year is amazing. I’ve went on the Peoria scale model solar system bike ride (Jupiter 3″ diameter 5 miles away from the 36′ sun), the inner planets you don’t have time to lose your breath, but Jupiter is a good 5 miles out you appreciate just how far away it is.

By: Steve Sutton

Steve Sutton — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 21:51:41 +0000

Heh, my name is on a CD that was launched with New Horizons. It’s good to know that something I share with other people has now been that close to the planet.

By: Nigel Depledge

Nigel Depledge — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 17:23:04 +0000

That’s a photo of Jupiter from 300 million km? As in, 2 AU (near as makes no odds)? That’s pretty impressive, although I guess it will be a while yet before New Horizons goes “screaming past” Jupiter, even at 75,000 kph.

Looking at the picture, I thought “Jupiter and two of the Galilean satellites”, so I didn’t think it was just Jupiter, but I also didn’t work out it was taken by New Horizons until I read the text.

I’m very much looking forward to more pictures from NH. Does anyone out there know if it will pass close enough to any of the other giant planets to photograph them on its journey to the Kuiper Belt?

By: Grand Lunar

Grand Lunar — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 11:44:42 +0000

Neat effert by the New Horizons, capturing Jupiter several months before close approach.
And the quality is much better than what I can get through my ’scope.

It’ll be a good trial run when it comes time for Jupiter. Then, onward to Pluto! And beyond!

By: Pierre SjÃ¶quist

Pierre SjÃ¶quist — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 08:52:11 +0000

Here I was hoping for a slamdunk ‘2001′ reference, but all I got was a bunch of crazy conspirasy theorists…

The world just ain’t fair.

Cool picture btw