New Horizons space probe is closing in on Pluto

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RF
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New Horizons space probe is closing in on Pluto

Post by RF »

The New Horizons space probe is now within some 116 million miles of the dwarf planet Pluto, with close up fly by due on 14 July this year.

Are any other forum members following this?
''Give me a Ping and one Ping only'' - Sean Connery.
Steve Crandell
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Re: New Horizons space probe is closing in on Pluto

Post by Steve Crandell »

Only insofar as I see news items. I will read about it, probably after the fact. I was first reminded that it was coming up when there was a reference to it on our SitCom "Big Bang Theory" the other night.
dunmunro
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Re: New Horizons space probe is closing in on Pluto

Post by dunmunro »

I've been following it with great interest since before 2006 when the New Horizons probe was launched.

I had the pleasure of meeting Clyde Tombaugh, the discoverer of Pluto, at a General Assembly meeting of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada in the 1990s.
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RF
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Re: New Horizons space probe is closing in on Pluto

Post by RF »

I gather that attempts are to be made later this year to further refine the definition of a ''planet'' such that Pluto's former status until 2006 is restored and the solar system will jump from eight to some fifteen planets.

The campaign for ''Pluto is a Planet'' is an emotional one and not a science issue. Pluto fails the full IAU definition of a planet and I think the current definitions are the correct analysis to use.

It is quite ironic that if the Kuiper Belt, excluding Pluto, didn't exist then Pluto would still be the nineth planet of our solar system according to current IAU definition.
''Give me a Ping and one Ping only'' - Sean Connery.
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