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_578x333.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

By: CR

CR — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 04:23:26 +0000

I think what’s cool is that the pic turned out so well, given the speed at which the “photographer” is moving, regardles of shutter speed… how well would an old 35mm SLR take a photo if it were moving at 75,000 kph?

(Hmm, now that I’ve said that, I’d like to actually try it out somehow…)

By: Ron S

Ron S — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 04:11:34 +0000

6 ms ain’t a fast exposure. My ancient 35 mm SLR with a mechanical shutter can do much better. I think that isn’t even fast for a cheap digital camera. Maybe 6 ms is good for the type of shutter or shutter-equivalent in this particular application???

By: Damien Evans

Damien Evans — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 03:05:58 +0000

several years yet, i think i read somewhere it will reach pluto arount 2015, does that sound about right?

By: Kebsis

Kebsis — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 01:59:55 +0000

How long will it take NH to get within distance of Pluto enough to get really nice pictures?

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 00:44:05 +0000

Reno: Look at this from a heliocentric point of view. Imagine Jupiter is orbiting merrily along. New horzons approaches it slightly behind its orbital path. As new horizons swings around, its jupiterocentric (?) relative velocity is precisely mirrored on both sides, yes. However, relative to the sun, it gans the additional velocity in the direction of jupiter’s orbit, stealing a little bit of jupiter’s orbital velocity as it swings around behind it. So, in a heliocentric reference frame, it accelerates, and jupiter (very slightly) slows down.

By: John B. Sandlin

John B. Sandlin — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 00:32:20 +0000

I don’t know, it sure looks like the star transformation process to me! Oh, and a guy named Bowman says Hi.

I’m sure looking forward to the close ups of the second largest known dwarf planet. Now we need to schedule a mission to Eris – but we probably won’t be able to get anyone to agree to that.

jbs

By: Reno Bandit

Reno Bandit — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 23:59:56 +0000

I dont understand how flying past a planet can shorten the trip. Sure, you accelerate as you head in towards Jupiter, but as you try to come away, you are slowed down just as much. Right?

By: Mark Martin

Mark Martin — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 22:46:02 +0000

From Earth to Jupiter in only a little over one year. That’s sweet.

By: Roy Batty

Roy Batty — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 21:51:59 +0000

Nice. Moons of ice & fire

By: IT: Instructional Technology

IT: Instructional Technology — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 21:32:31 +0000

Bloggers As Public Intellectuals…

I’m blogging another panel I heard at L.A.Con IV; this one was on blogging. Speaker(s): MaryAnn Johanson, Phil Plait, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Kevin Drum, Teresa Nielsen Hayden, Cory Doctorow (Moderator). H.L. Mencken, Edmund Wilson, I.F. Stone, Germai…