NH Arrokoth (formerly Ultima Thule) Encounter Observations & Results, post-flyby discussion as the data arrives |
NH Arrokoth (formerly Ultima Thule) Encounter Observations & Results, post-flyby discussion as the data arrives |
Jan 13 2019, 02:50 PM
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#16
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 4256 Joined: 17-January 05 Member No.: 152 |
It's hard to know without seeing the raw images how much noise we have in these views. To me they look noisy (and we were told to expect noisy images), so I'm suspicious of the fine, pixel-scale detail. But on the other hand, the abstract cited above refers to the "mottled appearance", and the team should know whether the amplitude of that fine detail is consistent with noise or not. Or maybe by the "mottling" they mean several-pixel-scale detail? It'll be really interesting to see the closer views.
And also interesting to see higher phase angle views, to break the degeneracy between topography and albedo variations... |
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Jan 13 2019, 10:00 PM
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#17
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Member Group: Members Posts: 559 Joined: 1-May 06 From: Scotland (Ecosse, Escocia) Member No.: 759 |
The interesting light color at the "neck" might suggest there could be slight movement between the 2 component bodies, and "grinding" of relatively fresh ice in that area...
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Jan 13 2019, 11:29 PM
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#18
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Member Group: Members Posts: 684 Joined: 24-July 15 Member No.: 7619 |
The interesting light color at the "neck" might suggest there could be slight movement between the 2 component bodies, and "grinding" of relatively fresh ice in that area... Anybody know which direction is "up" and which is "down" at the neck of a contact binary like UT? How did / could that change as the binary spun-down? |
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Jan 14 2019, 01:19 AM
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#19
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Member Group: Members Posts: 204 Joined: 20-November 05 From: Mare Desiderii Member No.: 563 |
Anybody know which direction "up" and which is "down" at the neck of a contact binary like UT? This slide from the Jan 2 press conference slides sheds some light on the present situation. (It doesn't give a vector but I assume things roll toward the neck.) |
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Jan 14 2019, 10:01 AM
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#20
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Member Group: Members Posts: 204 Joined: 20-November 05 From: Mare Desiderii Member No.: 563 |
Tidbit from Alan Stern on Twitter yesterday: "We’re plaiinong an inage release— in 10 days!" (I make that about 23 Jan).
https://twitter.com/AlanStern/status/1084661266159931393 |
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Guest_alex_k_* |
Jan 14 2019, 02:00 PM
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#21
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Guests |
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Jan 14 2019, 10:26 PM
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#22
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Member Group: Members Posts: 532 Joined: 19-February 05 Member No.: 173 |
Tidbit from Alan Stern on Twitter yesterday: "We’re plaiinong an inage release— in 10 days!" (I make that about 23 Jan). https://twitter.com/AlanStern/status/1084661266159931393 Update: Now planning an image release for this week too. Sorry for the typos above, was walking between flights in Doha; well, actually running between flights! |
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Jan 15 2019, 12:55 AM
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#23
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Newbie Group: Members Posts: 6 Joined: 11-January 19 Member No.: 8528 |
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Jan 15 2019, 02:51 AM
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#24
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Member Group: Members Posts: 157 Joined: 22-May 09 From: Ireland Member No.: 4792 |
Update: Now planning an image release for this week too. Sorry for the typos above, was walking between flights in Doha; well, actually running between flights! Interviewed Alan many years' back...a wonderful experience: walking then, running still today to inspire. |
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Jan 15 2019, 07:18 PM
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#25
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Member Group: Members Posts: 437 Joined: 14-December 15 Member No.: 7860 |
A slightly more elongated and less round shape of UT from a slightly different perspective ? https://twitter.com/hashtag/UltimaThuleFlyby?src=hash
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Jan 16 2019, 12:00 AM
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#26
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Member Group: Members Posts: 437 Joined: 14-December 15 Member No.: 7860 |
New movie from 500000 km to 28000 km: http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/News-A...p?page=20190115
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Jan 16 2019, 01:04 AM
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#27
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Newbie Group: Members Posts: 2 Joined: 19-July 15 Member No.: 7607 |
New movie from 500000 km to 28000 km: http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/News-A...p?page=20190115 From the release: "...rotation of Ultima Thule in the seven hours between 20:00 UT (3 p.m. ET) on Dec. 31, 2018, and 05:01 UT (12:01 a.m.) on Jan. 1, 2019..." Isn't that nine hours? |
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Jan 16 2019, 01:27 AM
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#28
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Member Group: Members Posts: 706 Joined: 3-December 04 From: Boulder, Colorado, USA Member No.: 117 |
Oops! Sorry about that.
John |
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Jan 16 2019, 07:19 AM
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#29
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Lord Of The Uranian Rings Group: Members Posts: 798 Joined: 18-July 05 From: Plymouth, UK Member No.: 437 |
Wonderful images! Amazing how a slew of pictures at very moderate resolution can still be pretty insightful. I took one of the GIF animations and made an aligned and 'bouncy' version:
Looks as if the lobes are less spherical than they are hamburger shape! -------------------- |
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Jan 16 2019, 08:19 AM
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#30
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Lord Of The Uranian Rings Group: Members Posts: 798 Joined: 18-July 05 From: Plymouth, UK Member No.: 437 |
My speculation is that the two lobes were never individual objects in the first place, and that the original fast rotation of MU69 -- back when it was newly formed and more prone to deformation -- caused a 'blob' to begin to separate from the main body due to centripetal forces, which in the end weren't enough for the two components to part completely.
Just a stab in the dark from a layperson! -------------------- |
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