IPB

Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )

 
Reply to this topicStart new topic
Voyager question
Paolo
post Nov 10 2006, 09:15 PM
Post #1


Senior Member
****

Group: Members
Posts: 1729
Joined: 3-August 06
From: 43° 35' 53" N 1° 26' 35" E
Member No.: 1004



In an old Spaceflight article I have found a mention of a test to be made by Voyager 1 in late 1986 to use the antenna as a sunshade to take pictures very close to the Sun. The idea was that if tests were successful, Voyager 1 could be used to image dust structures discovered in the infrared range by IRAS a few years before.
Anybody knows the results of the test (except that, of course if paved the way for the solar system portrait)?
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
edstrick
post Nov 11 2006, 11:11 AM
Post #2


Senior Member
****

Group: Members
Posts: 1870
Joined: 20-February 05
Member No.: 174



I suspect it didn't work, suspect that the signal-to-noise wasn't good enough for zodiacal dust band imaging. The solar system portrait was taken with the sun visible, which accounts for the lens flare line of light that the "pale blue dot" was embedded (rather dramatically) in.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
Paolo
post Dec 4 2006, 07:15 PM
Post #3


Senior Member
****

Group: Members
Posts: 1729
Joined: 3-August 06
From: 43° 35' 53" N 1° 26' 35" E
Member No.: 1004



QUOTE (Paolo @ Nov 10 2006, 10:15 PM) *
In an old Spaceflight article I have found a mention of a test to be made by Voyager 1 in late 1986 to use the antenna as a sunshade to take pictures very close to the Sun. The idea was that if tests were successful, Voyager 1 could be used to image dust structures discovered in the infrared range by IRAS a few years before.
Anybody knows the results of the test (except that, of course if paved the way for the solar system portrait)?


I have asked about this experiment to Brad Smith (the Voyager camera PI) and this is what he told me:
"The observation was Carolyn Porco's idea. We turned the spacecraft to use the High Gain Antenna to image the IRAS dust bands, probably in 1987. It didn't work as well as we had hoped because something on the spacecraft was still illuminated and had reflected light onto the back of the HGA so that part of each image was over-exposed. A portion of each image was still OK and Carolyn was able to get some results on particle size. I'm not sure, but I don't think she ever published her results."
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post

Reply to this topicStart new topic

 



RSS Lo-Fi Version Time is now: 28th March 2024 - 11:58 AM
RULES AND GUIDELINES
Please read the Forum Rules and Guidelines before posting.

IMAGE COPYRIGHT
Images posted on UnmannedSpaceflight.com may be copyrighted. Do not reproduce without permission. Read here for further information on space images and copyright.

OPINIONS AND MODERATION
Opinions expressed on UnmannedSpaceflight.com are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of UnmannedSpaceflight.com or The Planetary Society. The all-volunteer UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderation team is wholly independent of The Planetary Society. The Planetary Society has no influence over decisions made by the UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderators.
SUPPORT THE FORUM
Unmannedspaceflight.com is funded by the Planetary Society. Please consider supporting our work and many other projects by donating to the Society or becoming a member.