NASA's Latest Pluto Images Actually Show a Planet

Endgadget ^ | July 6, 2015 | John fingas

[lbryce]

At last, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is sending back images of Pluto that look (slightly) better than brown blobs or pixel art. The probe has delivered a new batch of images from between 7.8 million to 9.2 million miles away, or close enough that the dwarf planet is starting to reveal some meaningful detail. There's still no explanation for those giant spots, but it's evident that there's a "continuous swath" of dark ground near the equator. And if you'd like pictures that are better than fuzzy, you might not have to hold out for too much longer. New Horizons should be considerably closer when it recovers from its recent glitch, and the expected July 14th flyby should produce a ton of extra detail

[ETL]

[Dallas59]

It’s ugly. It deserves to have it’s planet status taken away../s

[Larry Lucido]

A slightly clearer picture.

[NutCrackerBoy]

It's either a planet or a slightly-burned cheese pizza.

It looks like naan to me. Yum.

[mowowie]

There is a great video on youtube showing the comparable sizes of these things, i’d look for it but im about to pass out from exhaustion...

[aimhigh]

Why can’t Hubble get a clear photo?

[21twelve]

I can’t stand Bill Nye (the “science” guy - he isn’t really). But - he did a video/show where he is on his bike and rides across the country size showing the relative sizes of things - but more so the relative DISTANCES of things.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97Ob0xR0Ut8

[ETL]

Why can Hubble get detailed views of distant galaxies but not of Pluto?

http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2013/02141014-hubble-galaxy-pluto.html

[Organic Panic]

Does this make muslims feel good about themselves?

[kevao]

Why can’t Hubble get a clear photo?

At that distance, it's hard to get a clear photo of an object that's smaller than your anus.

[Politicalkiddo]

I don’t care what Pluto is. All I know is that I’ve been waiting too long to see Pluto. If something else goes wrong, I will be so disappointed...although, “disappointed” is an understatement.

[kevao]

The decision to make Pluto a dwarf planet was made by a small group...and their criteria were arbitrary.

SCOTUS?

[lbryce]

Sign up for the short-lived *Pluto Whatever You Want to Call It Pings List*

Yes, I do 'Hillary Bytch ping list' with about 10 subscribers with everything, anything on Hillary ..I send out about 3-5 articles per day. You can be my first subscriber to the Pluto Whatever you Want To Call It Pings List.

This list will be a short-lived one because after P-Day (Pluto Day) July 14, the closest encounter yet, things will only diminish in terms of any discoveries. So add your name to the response and you'll be the first to receive Pluto email about 5 or 6 times a day or as often as news breaks.

[Moonman62]

Good one.

[MaxMax]

Start with form L632-red and take that down to the Quaduple office of
planetary cleanup. They'll give you the next form. NEXT!

[MUDDOG]

I knew there was a form for that!

[Gefn]

I signed up- just emailed you.

Thank you so very very much.

[SunkenCiv]

Sounded like a software problem, they said they weren’t going to try the same thing again. It’ll be a white-knuckle rendezvous I suspect. :’) Will ping this later.

[rikkir]

So long, and thanks for all the fish!

[Slings and Arrows]

Please add me to the Pluto “It’s A Planet, Dammit” Ping List.