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WATCH LIVE: Pluto gets its close-up as New Horizons spacecraft flys by at 7,800 miles away
NY Daily News ^ | 7/14/15 | AP

Posted on 07/14/2015 4:52:26 AM PDT by kidd

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft aimed to get up-close and personal with Pluto on Tuesday, on track to zoom within 7,800 miles of the small icy world left unexplored until now.

It’s the final destination on NASA’s planetary tour of the solar system, which began more than a half-century ago. Pluto was still a full-fledged planet when New Horizons rocketed away in 2006, only to become demoted to dwarf status later that year.

The 3 billion-mile journey from Cape Canaveral, Florida, culminates Tuesday at 7:49 a.m. EDT. That’s when the spacecraft is due to fly past Pluto at 31,000 mph.

The New Horizons team gathered at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, won’t know for many hours if everything went well. The spacecraft will be too busy taking photographs and collecting information to “phone home.” A confirmation signal is expected at around 9 p.m. EDT.

New Horizons already has beamed back the best-ever images of Pluto and big moon Charon. Pluto also has four little moons.

(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: charon; newhorizons; pluto
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1 posted on 07/14/2015 4:52:26 AM PDT by kidd
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To: kidd
I just caught it on the simulation. There won't be any new pics for a while due to the craft being too busy to send info back to earth. We'll be getting data for some 16 months.


2 posted on 07/14/2015 4:56:28 AM PDT by cripplecreek (Sad fact, most people just want a candidate to tell them what they want to hear)
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To: kidd

Which set of goofballs decided Pluto wasn’t a planet?


3 posted on 07/14/2015 5:00:31 AM PDT by G Larry (Obama Hates America, Israel, Capitalism, Freedom, and Christianity.)
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To: kidd

So where are the Mi-Go on Yuggoth?


4 posted on 07/14/2015 5:12:39 AM PDT by Darksheare (Those who support liberal "Republicans" summarily support every action by same.)
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To: G Larry

Because Pluto is just one of a handful of objects in the same neighborhood. To call it a planet would add at LEAST half a dozen new ‘planets’.


5 posted on 07/14/2015 5:17:41 AM PDT by Crazieman (Article V or National Divorce. The only solutions now.)
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To: kidd; newgeezer

After 52 years of only hearing the name Pluto and seeing a little star like image, THAT’S BEAUTIFUL!


6 posted on 07/14/2015 5:19:22 AM PDT by DungeonMaster (Of those born of women there is not risen one greater than John The Baptist.)
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To: kidd

No more images or data will be transmitted until tomorrow morning, except for a brief signal saying that the probe is still working (some time tonight).

The probe is busy taking data.

A spectacular accomplishment, just to get this photo.


7 posted on 07/14/2015 5:21:37 AM PDT by kidd
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To: kidd

That heart is where God gave the solar system a swat on the backside at birth.


8 posted on 07/14/2015 5:22:43 AM PDT by P.O.E. (Pray for America)
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To: kidd

The “phone home/I’m still here” signal is due at about 9:00pm EDT.


9 posted on 07/14/2015 5:26:13 AM PDT by hoagy62 (Only one solution left.....)
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To: kidd
Well, as much as an accomplishment this is for NASA, the WH is concerned no Muzzies were credited with recognition of how Islam was the driving force behind this momentous event...
10 posted on 07/14/2015 5:27:46 AM PDT by Popman (Christ Alone: My Cornerstone...)
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To: Crazieman

They arbitrarily changed the definition of “planet” so as to meet their new narrative. Typical of science lately.


11 posted on 07/14/2015 5:28:42 AM PDT by traderrob6
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To: kidd

From live conference:

Dark region is equator
Top-center is north pole of Pluto

Some signs of tectonics
Some impact craters
Thin nitrogen atmosphere

Color variations on surface

Expect much higher resolution photos tomorrow (over 10 times better)

The probe is powered by plutonium (RTG)
Produces 200 Watts of power, loses 3 watts of power per year


12 posted on 07/14/2015 5:32:32 AM PDT by kidd
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To: kidd

Will be transmitting data back to Earth from tomorrow morning until sometime in October 2016 at a rate of 1 kbs to 4 kbs

(should’ve gotten cable instead of dial-up)


13 posted on 07/14/2015 5:36:48 AM PDT by kidd
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To: G Larry

It was done at the end of the conference and most scientists had already left. I believe ( just my opinion), that this was done to punish the U.S. Since an American had discovered it; for the Iraq war!


14 posted on 07/14/2015 5:38:17 AM PDT by Empireoftheatom48 (God help the Republic but will he?)
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To: P.O.E.

Looks like a footprint to me


15 posted on 07/14/2015 5:39:21 AM PDT by Squidpup ("Fight the Good Fight of Faith")
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To: kidd

the accreted mass is being worn smooth as it escapes the sun’s gravity


16 posted on 07/14/2015 5:43:11 AM PDT by bert ((K.E.; N.P.; GOPc.;+12, 73, ..... No peace? then no peace!)
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To: Squidpup

Sometimes a kick in the butt is needed to get things started :)


17 posted on 07/14/2015 5:47:12 AM PDT by P.O.E. (Pray for America)
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To: kidd

Almost looks like a footprint on there, like God had punted it out there.


18 posted on 07/14/2015 5:51:03 AM PDT by Thorliveshere (Minnesota Survivor)
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To: G Larry

It certainly looks like a planet. The “goofballs” evidently were trying to get everyone thinking it was shaped like a potato and not much larger.


19 posted on 07/14/2015 5:52:37 AM PDT by odawg
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To: odawg
Sense of scale:


20 posted on 07/14/2015 6:08:07 AM PDT by dirtboy
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