Voyager celebrates 25 years since Uranus visit

PhysOrg.com ^

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(PhysOrg.com) -- As NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft made the only close approach to date of our mysterious seventh planet Uranus 25 years ago, Project Scientist Ed Stone and the Voyager team gathered at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., to pore over the data coming in.

Images of the small, icy Uranus moon Miranda were particularly surprising. Since small moons tend to cool and freeze over rapidly after their formation, scientists had expected a boring, ancient surface, pockmarked by crater-upon-weathered-crater. Instead they saw grooved terrain with linear valleys and ridges cutting through the older terrain and sometimes coming together in chevron shapes. They also saw dramatic fault scarps, or cliffs. All of this indicated that periods of tectonic and thermal activity had rocked Miranda's surface in the past.

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http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-01-voyager-celebrates-years-uranus.html

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http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-01-voyager-celebrates-years-uranus.html

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In other news, Rahm Emmanuel is still off the ballot in Chicago.

[lormand]

Do you know what Star Trek and toilet paper have in common?

[dfwgator]

[Mr. Lucky]

Ah yes. One of the classics.

[Le Chien Rouge]

Back then, I eagerly awaited the arrival of National Geographic because it was about the ONLY source that had pictures along with articles about the Voyager mission.

[Vendome]

Wasn’t my anus. I have no idea what you are talking about. /s

[cripplecreek]

Uranus hasn’t been the same since.

[Frantzie]

It is still sending data back? I guess this is before NASA and the satellite companies used union labor.

[fishtank]

[MrB]

Did you know that Uranus spins sideways?

I always love a good “Uranus” thread.

[Vendome]

Up yours! /S

[lormand]

Both circle Uranus looking for Klingons

[massmike]

“Journey To The Seventh Planet”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-Cix53XRVs

[Puppage]

Yes, Dr. Voyager.....It HAS been a long time since my last visit. :-)

[Waverunner]

No the article definitely said Uranus.

[MrB]

Just in case you can't find it with both hands:

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

Overshadowed by the Challenger disaster, IIRC, and I may not, having been a wee lass. Wanted updates on the planet photos and all they’d show was the teacher in space story.

[MrB]

Graphic demonstrating that Uranus spins sideways: