We're Pumped Up About Visiting Pluto After Seeing This NASA Video

Popular Science TV ^ | June 12th, 2015 | Sarah Fecht

[SunkenCiv]

In July, New Horizons crosses the next great frontier in our solar system.

Mankind is about to visit one of the strangest places in our solar system. Out beyond Neptune, the Kuiper belt is home to hordes of cold, lumpy worlds -- some of which are large enough to have their own moons, but none of which we've seen up-close before. That's going to change this summer, when NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flies by "the king of the Kuiper belt": Pluto. It's no longer considered a planet, but Pluto is still an important member of our solar system, and one of the most mysterious ones, to boot.

A new hour-long documentary from NASA just made us even more excited to explore Pluto for the first time. The video details the dramatic history of the mission, from its launch on "America's biggest, baddest rocket, tricked out with every conceivable booster," to the dangers it could encounter along the way -- flying through the rocky Kuiper belt is a bit like navigating a minefield -- and finally, what it might find when it gets to Pluto. New moons? Rings? Ice volcanoes? "What we expect is to be surprised," says New Horizons mission leader Alan Stern.

[cripplecreek]

It was an old movie in the mid to late 70s.

[DemforBush]

When I was a kid, I read an article that claimed if you could somehow stand on the highest point on Venus (and not die instantly), the pressure and nature of its atmosphere would bend the horizon and would allow you to look out and see the back of your own head stretched out across the sky.

I have no idea if that is even remotely true, but it’s a very neat thing to ponder.

[Drew68]

When I was a kid, I read an article that claimed if you could somehow stand on the highest point on Venus (and not die instantly), the pressure and nature of its atmosphere would bend the horizon and would allow you to look out and see the back of your own head stretched out across the sky.

I remember reading that as well! ;-)

I also recall reading that if you could get in a blimp and soar a couple of miles up on Venus, the temperature and pressure would be quite comfortable.

And then there's Mars. Often, publications will inform us that the surface temperature on Mars at the hemisphere during the summer can reach a balmy 80 degrees.

Very true.

What they don't expand on is that this is the "surface" temperature. Because Mars' atmosphere is so thin, the temperature on the surface and the temperature 6' above the surface can be wildly different.

Your toes might be enjoying a balmy 80 degree surface temperature. Your nose has frostbite at 40 below.

[Born to Conserve]

“...it would shatter upon impact a meter below...”

“To Build a Fire”, Jack London.

[ExGeeEye]

Heinlein's book for youngsters, Have Space Suit, Will Travel (1958) takes place partly on Pluto. I enjoyed it as a kid and still read it once in a while.

http://www.amazon.com/Have-Space-Suit-Heinleins-Juveniles-ebook/dp/B004XD1NJW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434270082&sr=8-1&keywords=have+space+suit%2C+will+travel

[Does so]

Many many moon asgo I remember seeing a an old movie about some guys who went to either Neptune or Uranus and found some kind of paradise separated from the rest of the planet by some sort of barrier. One of the guys stuck his arm through the barrier and pulled it back flash frozen.

It must have been Neptune -- that wouldn't have happened with Uranus. ;)

[free_life]

Countdown to Pluto’s closest approach July 14

http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/

New Pluto images from New Horizons.

http://scitechdaily.com/new-pluto-images-from-new-horizons/

[free_life]

New Horizons current position.

http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Mission/Where-is-New-Horizons/index.php

[colorado tanker]

Less than a month!

[SunkenCiv]

I can hardly wait.