Neptunian System Imaging |
Neptunian System Imaging |
Oct 11 2010, 09:30 AM
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#1
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Member Group: Members Posts: 796 Joined: 27-February 08 From: Heart of Europe Member No.: 4057 |
Neptune from Voyager 2. Color is from images with CH4JS, green and orange filter.
Shadows of three moons are visible. Second image is with possible interpretation. -------------------- |
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Jul 19 2018, 07:26 AM
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 316 Joined: 1-October 06 Member No.: 1206 |
Amazing image, although I hope the EELTs will do better (and faster than the next ice giant mission).
Although orbiters are badly needed to both, I wonder if cheaper New Horizons-like flybys might not be more likely as long as there is suitable geometry for a subsequent large (spherical) TNO flyby after? So many are binaries you'd get quite a lot of bang for the buck. p |
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Jul 19 2018, 06:15 PM
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#3
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2530 Joined: 20-April 05 Member No.: 321 |
Here's a state of the art image of Ganymede using the 5m Hale Telescope.
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.p...st&p=233427 The ELT (named changed from the previous E-ELT) will have 8 times the aperture, and Neptune is roughly 8 times more distant than Jupiter, so that indicates the resolution that will be possible for the Neptunian system and similarly distant objects such as Pluto. Of course, the ELT will not be dedicated to Neptune observations. I think we can safely say, however, that global Neptunian weather patterns can be tracked by other multi-meter telescopes from the ground and so the return-on-investment of Neptune missions decreases accordingly. For fine detail of the planet and satellites, of course, there's no substitute for being there. I think one of the best value propositions for Uranus/Neptune missions would be a flyby that targeted one of the larger TNOs and used the ice giants for a gravity assist on the way there. Four such missions could capture >75% coverage of selected satellites (obviously, Triton being one) and then provide an encounter of, potentially, New Horizons type value at Makemake, Haumea, etc. with great synergy in designing and manufacturing four identical craft with New Horizons legacy tech. I don't see how a Uranus or Neptune orbiter could possibly jump the queue over many potential ambitions to closer targets of very high interest, Enceladus and Titan to name just two. |
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