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Pluto's Haze
Today brings another release of images from NASA's New Horizons probe. This time, it includes an image taken seven hours after closest approach, when the probe was looking back at Pluto. It captured the dwarf planet in silhouette: the body of the planet is in darkness, but the atmosphere is luminous with deflected sunlight. "A preliminary analysis of the image shows two distinct layers of haze -- one about 50 miles (80 kilometers) above the surface and the other at an altitude of about 30 miles (50 kilometers)." Before this picture, scientists didn't expect to see such haze more than 30 kilometers above the surface.
Other findings released today include preliminary indications that Pluto's atmospheric pressure has dropped sharply from early observations. This may indicate that the atmosphere is in the process of freezing and falling to Pluto's surface. Finally, new close-up pictures of the surface transmitted back to Earth show direct evidence of nitrogen ice floes reminiscent of glacier movement on Earth. The dwarf planet also seems to be rich in methane ice and carbon dioxide ice.
Other findings released today include preliminary indications that Pluto's atmospheric pressure has dropped sharply from early observations. This may indicate that the atmosphere is in the process of freezing and falling to Pluto's surface. Finally, new close-up pictures of the surface transmitted back to Earth show direct evidence of nitrogen ice floes reminiscent of glacier movement on Earth. The dwarf planet also seems to be rich in methane ice and carbon dioxide ice.
NASA made this site to give you an idea http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/pl...
New Horizons' communication channel is very slow. About 1 killobit (not kilobyte) per second. My guess is they don't really have more data to "release" yet.
The public that pays its bills understands miles, they report in miles.
One of the scientists at today's press conference actually started discussing things in kilometers and had to correct himself.
I would be much more interested in seeing how day on the planet Pluto compares to night with moonlight on planet earth.
The sun on Pluto is about 100 times brighter than a full moon on Earth.
"Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies."