Onwards to Uranus and Neptune! |
Onwards to Uranus and Neptune! |
Jan 12 2008, 09:40 PM
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#1
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Member Group: Members Posts: 813 Joined: 8-February 04 From: Arabia Terra Member No.: 12 |
As soon as MESSENGER gets to Mercury, the most poorly explored planets in the solar system will be Uranus and Neptune. Could this lead to a revival of interest in the ice giants and their retinue, in the same way that the existence of New Horizons is perhaps partly due to the Pluto stamp*?
*via Pluto Fast Flyby and later Pluto Kuiper Express |
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Jan 19 2008, 02:22 PM
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 249 Joined: 11-June 05 From: Finland (62°14′N 25°44′E) Member No.: 408 |
One thing should be remembered when discussing about Uranus and Neptune systems: all the moons, including Triton have their axes almost coplanar to ecliptic meaning that parts of the moons are hidden from view for decades or more. The southern polar regions of Uranian satellites are now disappearing from view. If we sent a probe to Uranus today, it wouldn't see the same regions that Voyager 2 saw. On the other hand, having a probe there right now would have been perfect: currently the surfaces of the moons are fully visible because of the equinox. It'll take 40 years until the next time this is possible.
-------------------- The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we can imagine.
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Jan 20 2008, 07:15 AM
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#3
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2530 Joined: 20-April 05 Member No.: 321 |
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Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 31st October 2024 - 11:48 PM |
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