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Craters Pop As NASA's Dawn Probe Approaches Ceres

Posted by timothy on from the ready-for-their-closeup dept.

astroengine writes New features on Ceres' icy surface are popping into view as NASA's Dawn spacecraft slowly spirals in on its final celestial target in the asteroid belt. Due to arrive in a stable Ceres orbit in March, the ion drive-propelled spacecraft is now less than 90,000 miles (145,000 kilometers) from its ultimate goal. Once arrived at Ceres, NASA will insert the probe into a highly stable orbit where, when the mission concludes in a year from now, Dawn will become a permanent man-made moon of the dwarf planet.

52 comments

  1. Bastardation of English continues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Craters "pop"? I was expecting some kind of explosion, not a careless misuse of an English phrase. (Hint: The phrase you are looking for is "pop up" or "pop into view", i.e. the verb "pop" is NOT a synonym for "appear".)

    1. Re:Bastardation of English continues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I assumed the craters just had great style sense..

    2. Re:Bastardation of English continues by Rinikusu · · Score: 1

      I thought it was getting ready for a date and was popping it's crater sized zits.

      --
      If you were me, you'd be good lookin'. - six string samurai
    3. Re:Bastardation of English continues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Yet you seem to know exactly what they meant.

      Funny how language changes over time. Even Ye Olde English!

    4. Re:Bastardation of English continues by fustakrakich · · Score: 2

      There appears to be a character limit in what can be posted in the headli

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    5. Re:Bastardation of English continues by aaron4801 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      1 a : to go, come, or appear suddenly —often used with up. Often, but not exclusively. If you're going to be a grammar nazi, at least be right.

    6. Re:Bastardation of English continues by sexconker · · Score: 1

      Yet you seem to know exactly what they meant.

      Funny how language changes over time. Even Ye Olde English!

      The headline had me thinking the craters were popping.
      They are not popping.

    7. Re:Bastardation of English continues by cyberchondriac · · Score: 2

      You're being overly semantic. "Pop" in that context is indeed a modern idiom, a shortening of "pops out", often used to describe an HDTV picture, where the factory sets the color and contrast extra high on TVs so the picture just "pops" on the store display floor. Sort of a 3D-ish effect, or extremely vivid.

      --

      Look back up at my post, now look back down, you're on the Internet. Now look back up. I'm a signature.
    8. Re:Bastardation of English continues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      A stupid excuse used by lazy idiots who just want to continue being lazy idiots.

    9. Re:Bastardation of English continues by dfm3 · · Score: 1

      I first thought they were just going for an attention-grabbing headline. "You won't BELIEVE what these craters DID as this NASA probe approached!"

    10. Re:Bastardation of English continues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The usage of "pop" reminded me of this commercial with Shawn Johnson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms5d9RN0WzY

    11. Re:Bastardation of English continues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Webster is descriptive, not prescriptive. Quoting a definition from Webster is no different from saying "but everyone is doing it!". That doesn't make it right.

    12. Re:Bastardation of English continues by MBGMorden · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Actually, no, I had no idea what they meant until I got down into the comments. I assumed that craters were actually popping and was reading the summary trying to figure out if they were just observing some recurring natural phenomenon or if (far less likely) the probe itself was disrupting something on the surface.

      "You know what I meant" is a terrible excuse because half the time it's simply not true.

      --
      "People who think they know everything are very annoying to those of us who do."-Mark Twain
    13. Re:Bastardation of English continues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      If you don't like Websters, you can try OED, which suggests this is actually a much older use and less common now, so the opposite of "But everyone is doing it"

      b. To come on or upon suddenly or unexpectedly; to happen upon. Now rare.
      1668 T. St. Serfe Tarugo's Wiles Epilogue, If happ'ly he shou'd pop upon a revery of Dactylus and Spondæus, there's none knows h[i]m wou'd believe it his.

      Followed by more examples from the 17th-20th century...

    14. Re: Bastardation of English continues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Other features of Ceres snapped and/or crackled.

    15. Re:Bastardation of English continues by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      There appears to be a character limit in what can be posted in the headli

      Craters Pop As NASA's Dawn Probe Approaches Ceres
      Craters Seen As NASA'S Dawn Probe Nears Ceres

      The 2nd would have been both more accurate and shorter.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    16. Re:Bastardation of English continues by ClickOnThis · · Score: 1

      That's not all:

      Once arrived at Ceres, NASA will insert the probe into a highly stable orbit

      Beware the dangling participle. The above phrase implies that NASA will arrive at Ceres, not the probe.

      --
      If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
    17. Re:Bastardation of English continues by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      The summary uses it appropriately. Only the headline gets it wrong, but headlines have twisted the language for a few hundred years now.

    18. Re:Bastardation of English continues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow, that was a long walk for nothing.

    19. Re:Bastardation of English continues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What a big advantage to be non-native reader! We just understand what is meant without futile consideration about insignificant details. Saves a lot of trolling.

    20. Re:Bastardation of English continues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And what make it prescriptive? And what is said in this source?

    21. Re:Bastardation of English continues by Ginger+Unicorn · · Score: 1

      So what is prescriptive in this situation? What it is the arbiter of right and wrong?

      --
      (1.21 gigawatts) / (88 miles per hour) = 30 757 874 newtons
    22. Re:Bastardation of English continues by gsslay · · Score: 2

      Except I didn't know exactly what they meant. I thought it was indicating the discovery of some kind of volcanic activity. I have never heard or seen "pop" used alone in place of of "pop into view" or even "pop up".

      There's a big difference between language change and single instances of rotten use.

    23. Re:Bastardation of English continues by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

      I think it's an intentional diversion. They count the comments on it as part of some study.

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    24. Re:Bastardation of English continues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Welcome to slashdot, newcomer!

  2. Alien life by fxsoap · · Score: 2

    I REALLY hope this yield something of importance to bring space back to the forefront of people minds. Keep people dreaming, exploring and wanting more.

    1. Re:Alien life by allquixotic · · Score: 2

      Would we be so fortunate as to do so this quickly, though? 600 some odd years ago, almost no one was aware of the full extent of the planet's land masses, much less that there were actual people living on those other land masses. After that settled down, not a lot happened for the next several hundred years in terms of advancement of human life's extent and discovery of new civilizations. Then, suddenly, in the 60s, we're extraplanetary.

      It would be amazing, but unlikely IMHO, to see a single generation of people live to see Apollo 11 and the discovery of extraterrestrial life. I think we're going to have to look a lot further and for a lot longer before we bump into anyone out there.

    2. Re:Alien life by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      We'll not find aliens on Ceres. Unless they are hiding under ground in cities.

      The most likely places we will find active life are Titan, Europa.
      Both of these planets have heavily life-bearing conditions, namely flowing liquid and stresses caused by a large planet tearing on its surface.
      Chance of intelligent life? Unlikely. It could happen though. We have quite intelligent life in our seas.
      In fact, Europa might technically even be a more stable environment for life than even EARTH is. Earth is a hostile place. Life has more-or-less been reset multiple times here. (well, evolutionary history I should say)
      Europa looks like it is a far more stable planet with possibly lots of liquid and at least some levels of heat and radiation around it.
      It could be there are lesser conditions as well. Less energy going around so evolution has been a lot slower. We simply don't know yet until we get there.
      Titan is a very chaotic place. Similar to Earth in some ways in the early days, but with varying degrees of elements, dodgy weather systems and generally colder but still not too cold for life given what we know now about life and how far it can go both in to the hot and cold extremes.

      Places we will almost certainly find that there was (but now extinct) life: Venus, Mars.
      In fact, it is basically a fact that Mars once lived, it is just a matter of when we find it now. I don't think anyone would really consider arguing against it these days.
      Venus could possibly still even have extreme life.

      I doubt we will find intelligent life in our system sadly.
      Here's hoping Martians went underground when they realized they couldn't stop the asteroid that we know collided with the planet. (not the thing that killed it off though, the planets size and core caused that problem)
      At this point in time, I think the only way we will definitely find intelligent life out there is when we get those new satellite arrays launched in to orbit.
      Those will be able to resolve things Hubble could only dream of.
      We'll actually be able to pick out planets directly with those.
      This century? Probably.

      But all the companies in space these days seem to be getting behind space mining and space tourism.
      So don't feel too sad. Space will become a larger industry in 10-20 years. Much larger.

    3. Re:Alien life by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I REALLY hope this yield something of importance to bring space back to the forefront of people minds. Keep people dreaming, exploring and wanting more.

      I REALLY hope our global religious community will be able to handle what we find without calling for the Apocalypse and using it as an excuse to destroy us all in an effort to ensure we are "saved".

    4. Re:Alien life by R3d+M3rcury · · Score: 1

      Unless they are hiding under ground in cities.

      That's no asteroid...

      (Sorry. Had to be said...)

    5. Re:Alien life by aristotle-dude · · Score: 1

      I REALLY hope this yield something of importance to bring space back to the forefront of people minds. Keep people dreaming, exploring and wanting more.

      I REALLY hope our global religious community will be able to handle what we find without calling for the Apocalypse and using it as an excuse to destroy us all in an effort to ensure we are "saved".

      You are a special kind of dumb aren't you? You are simultaneously talking about your unsubstantiated "religious" belief in alien life while attacking other religions because they do not believe what you believe? Bravo, you are as bright as ISIS.

      --
      Jesus was a compassionate social conservative who called individuals to sin no more.
    6. Re:Alien life by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, there are beliefs substantiated by mathematics and overwhelming statistics, and then there are beliefs substantiated by coercion and threats of everlasting hell fire and torture unless you behave properly.

    7. Re:Alien life by aristotle-dude · · Score: 1

      Well, there are beliefs substantiated by mathematics and overwhelming statistics, and then there are beliefs substantiated by coercion and threats of everlasting hell fire and torture unless you behave properly.

      But you are still basing your belief on a combination of unsubstantiated (made up) constants and statistics deprived from those made up numbers. We only have one data point of planets with life, namely the earth. Everything in the Drake equation is fictitiously speculation.

      --
      Jesus was a compassionate social conservative who called individuals to sin no more.
  3. pop? by schlachter · · Score: 1

    how about...Craters Explode As NASA's Dawn Probe Approaches Ceres

    --
    My God can beat up your God. Just kidding...don't take offense. I know there's no God.
  4. Waste of money by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    Could mankind please stop spending on small projects for taking pictures of dead worlds and focus instead on exploring worlds that are most likely to harbor life, such as Europe and Titan?

    1. Re:Waste of money by jfdavis668 · · Score: 2

      Because this is the kind of world where we may go soon. It's the kind of place that may be useful for mankind to live upon. Europa is too far into Jupiter's radiation belts. Titan is both cold and poisonous. Ceres may have enough frozen gases for use to mine and live on.

    2. Re:Waste of money by Coren22 · · Score: 2

      We already know Europe harbors life. Some of that life even posts on /.

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
    3. Re: Waste of money by jxander · · Score: 1

      Having been to Europe, I can confirm some minor indications of actual life.

      Further studies to commence shortly.

      --
      This signature is false.
    4. Re:Waste of money by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hahahahahaha @ Coren22 http://slashdot.org/comments.p...

    5. Re:Waste of money by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      I think it's important to take a wide survey before taking a deep survey of specific targets (unless you find a smoking gun). For example, if they find geysers on Ceres then it may become an "interesting candidate for life" just like Europa.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
    6. Re: Waste of money by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Have been to America. No intelligent life forms Confirmed!

  5. Popping and locking by dstyle5 · · Score: 1

    on to those craters? Come on timothy, you could've worked it in somehow... ;)

    1. Re:Popping and locking by gstoddart · · Score: 1

      Wow ... fascinating ... you should write a wiki-wiki article. ;-)

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  6. What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    What is a "Ceres". Really need to consider firing the guy that makes these articles.

    1. Re:What? by jfdavis668 · · Score: 1

      As it states, "final celestial target in the asteroid belt." Ceres is an asteroid. The largest one, and the only one classed as a dwarf planet.

  7. You're not helping by GrumpySteen · · Score: 2

    Bastardation? I think you mean bastardization.

    You're not helping.

  8. you people are retarded: it's not about "pop" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This is a problem on /. The first poster complains about a red herring, then the the conversation veers off into left field. Personally, I find the new detailed pix of Ceres to be fascinating. I don't care if a writer somewhere used the word 'pop' when perhaps he should have said 'became visible'. Please don't waste your time responding.

  9. Lair by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yes... Soon we will know if Ceres will suffice for our new secret lair. Soon.

  10. Disappointment by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It looks like a moon of Saturn. So much for the jagged dark grey bodies depicted in middle school science posters of the late 1970's.

  11. Moon? by Maxwell'sSilverLART · · Score: 1

    Dawn will become a permanent man-made moon of the dwarf planet.

    That's no space station...that's a moon!

    --
    Moderate drunk! It's more fun that way!
  12. Really going that slow? by einyen · · Score: 1

    It takes roughly 1 month for 145.000 km? That's roughly ~210 km/h (130mph) which seems very slow (for a spacecraft). The spacecrafts usually travel at least a few kilometers per second.

    1. Re:Really going that slow? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It's all about relative speed... Dawn is travelling at several km/s relative to the Sun, but only ~100 mph relative to Ceres. It wants to get into a stable orbit around a dwarf planet with weak gravity, that would never happen if it was travelling at several km/s relative to Ceres!