Space probe New Horizons has successfully emerged from hibernation
The best at the moment the image of Pluto and Charon (Hubble, 1994) i>
As previously reported , interplanetary probe New Horizons, which is now at a distance of 2, 9 billion miles from Earth, successfully awoke. Scientists have found out about it through appropriate signals transmitted from the station. According to experts, is that the station came out of hibernation, there is nothing outstanding - during his trip New Horizons fell asleep and woke up many times.
Nevertheless, the fact that the station is in operation - great news. Soon, New Horizons will start closer to Pluto and its moon Charon. By the way, Charon was not discovered until 1978, and Pluto - in 1930. Interestingly, the center of mass "Pluto-Charon" is outside Pluto, so some scientists believe that Charon should not be considered as a satellite of Pluto, and the same planetoid. The system itself "Pluto-Charon," according to the same theory - it is a double planet system. However, due to the nature of the current classification of Charon and not included in the number of dwarf planets (unlike Pluto), so the planetary system "Pluto-Charon" now can not be named.
It's ALIVE! The NASANewHorizons mission control just received full confirmation at 9:53 pm ET! Pluto get ready! pic.twitter.com/Gj9lujGU98 - NASA (NASA) December 7, 2014 blockquote>
Another interesting point that was mentioned in the material of the imminent revival Station New Horizons: Charon, unlike Pluto, covered with water ice, and there is a theory that can exist on Charon ice ocean of liquid water.
Another photo of plutonium produced by Hubble in 2005 i>
Perhaps it is this kind of opens the observer from the surface of Pluto (the brightest star - the sun, and shaded disk - it Charon)
Whatever it was, the station Hew Horizons soon to be closer to Pluto at a distance of only 12 kilometers of 5000, which would make a very high-quality images of the system. The closest approach to Pluto should happen July 14, 2015. Station, scientists hope will clarify another point: the existence of related atmosphere Poulton-Charon.
The English record videoconference scientists discussing the mission of New Horizons i>
Scientific Instruments stations should help scientists get detailed information about Pluto and Charon, including the possibility of having its own magnetosphere Pluto, data on the composition of the atmosphere of Pluto and Charon, and the interaction of both planetoids. At the moment, the system of virtually nothing is known, because of its distance from the sun.
Source: geektimes.ru/post/242572/
