Neptune Orbiter, Another proposed mission |
Neptune Orbiter, Another proposed mission |
Nov 10 2005, 03:51 PM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 509 Joined: 2-July 05 From: Calgary, Alberta Member No.: 426 |
This seems like a good place to start off the Uranus and Neptune forum: with the next ice-giants mission.
I will admit to not knowing a whole lot about the Neptune Orbiter With Probes (NOWP), other than the fact that it's in the planning stages, and a few other details I've gathered from Wikipedia and various other Internet sources. Anyone care to get this one going with a bit more information? |
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Feb 12 2007, 03:14 PM
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 903 Joined: 30-January 05 Member No.: 162 |
Wikipedia has stats on Nereid and reports its' orbital plane is tilted to the ecliptic ~5 degrees. This would make an encounter for an incoming spacecraft easier. I am still having trouble visualizing the orientation of the entire Neptune/Triton/Nereid system.
With Triton 157 degrees retrograde, and Nereid 27 degrees, we wind up at 185 degrees total, so aren't they 5 degrees off of coplanar? {you can tell I don't have Celestia on my PC . . . .} |
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Feb 12 2007, 04:12 PM
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#3
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2530 Joined: 20-April 05 Member No.: 321 |
Wikipedia has stats on Nereid and reports its' orbital plane is tilted to the ecliptic ~5 degrees. This would make an encounter for an incoming spacecraft easier. I am still having trouble visualizing the orientation of the entire Neptune/Triton/Nereid system. With Triton 157 degrees retrograde, and Nereid 27 degrees, we wind up at 185 degrees total, so aren't they 5 degrees off of coplanar? {you can tell I don't have Celestia on my PC . . . .} The math doesn't work there because there are three dimensions in which the axes can be tipped. Imagine two drunk men with hula hoops around their waists. One man leans forward at 45 degrees. The other man leans to his left at 45 degrees. The number 45 is equal, but their hula hoops are not coplanar. Just playing around with Solar System simulator, I see that Nereid's next close approach to Triton will be mid-April, and will bring it within about 1.25 million km -- no closer. Other Nereid periapsises may bring the two closer, but they can't get too much closer. Think about Cassini imaging Iapetus from a million km away -- and Iapetus is rather large. |
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