New Horizons Countdown to Pluto Thread

[Planet X]

I figured it might be useful to track the progress of New Horizons on it's voyage from Jupiter to Pluto. To kick things off, closest approach to Jupiter occurred at 05:43:40 UTC Feb 28th, at a speed of 22.86 km/s. NH came to within 2.3 million km of Jupiter's center.

At 06:07:12 UTC, NH reached yet another milestone when it reached 800 million km from the sun. Now, it's on to Pluto! NH is currently 3.937 million km from Pluto. Later!

J P

[Fightspit]

New Horizon by Jestr

[Hungry4info]

At 06:07:12 UTC, NH reached yet another milestone when it reached 800 million km from the sun.

800 million km is less than an AU. New Horizons was never closer to Sol than Earth from what I understand.

Now, it's on to Pluto! NH is currently 3.937 million km from Pluto.

3.937 million kilometres is far less than 1 AU. New Horizons won't be 1 AU from pluto for a long, long time.

[LordFerret]

The New Horizons website. You'll find a nice image of the Little Red Spot there, closest image taken of it ever to date.

[julesstoop]

800 million km is less than an AU. New Horizons was never closer to Sol than Earth from what I understand.

:?:

1 AU is about 150 million kilometers, so 800 million km's is quite a lot more.

[Planet X]

Whoops! That should have been 3.967 billion km to Pluto! Also, 800 million km equals just under 5.4 AU. Later!

J P

[Hungry4info]

1 AU is about 150 million kilometers, so 800 million km's is quite a lot more.

Ah yes, you're correct. I was thinking 900 million miles = 1 AU, rather than 90 million. My bad, and my apologies.

[Planet X]

UPDATE! On 05/03/2007, at 00:01:54 UTC, the NH spacecraft reached 900 million km from the sun. The spacecraft's distance from Earth, by comparison, is 772 million km. NH is now less than 3.837 billion km from Pluto and traveling at a rate of 21.31 km/s. Later!

J P

[Hungry4info]

Awesome, only another 8 years!! Wee!!! lol.

[Planet X]

Important milestone! On 07/06/2007, at 21:30:30 UTC, the NH spacecraft reached it's first 1 billion km from the sun. The spacecraft's distance from Earth, by comparison, is 870.4 million km. NH is now less than 3.72 billion km from Pluto and traveling at a rate of 20.6 km/s. Later!

J P

[symaski62]

Important milestone! On 07/06/2007, at 21:30:30 UTC, the NH spacecraft reached it's first 1 billion km from the sun. The spacecraft's distance from Earth, by comparison, is 870.4 million km. NH is now less than 3.72 billion km from Pluto and traveling at a rate of 20.6 km/s. Later!

J P

http://www.yaohua2000.org/cgi-bin/New%20Horizons.pl

sol 20.59km/s

[MKruer]

Only 8 years, 5 days to closet approach. :twisted:

[Planet X]

UPDATE! On 09/10/2007, at 08:36:45 UTC, the NH spacecraft reached 1100 million km from the sun. The spacecraft's distance from Earth, by comparison, is nearly 1.108 billion km. Halfway between the mean orbits of Jupiter and Saturn, NH is now less than 3.616 billion km from Pluto and traveling at a rate of 19.97 km/s. Later!

J P

[Fenerit]

Having lost 20.6 - 19.97 = 0.63 km/s in 100 millions, at this pace NH will reach Pluto with a velocity of [19.97 - (3616/100 x 0.63)] = -2.8108 km/sec; that is it will be at rest at 446.1587302 million of km from Pluto?

[selden]

Fenerit,

Don't forget that the loss in speed is due to the Sun's gravity. The Sun's gravitational pull is less as the spacecraft gets further from the Sun, so the speed loss is less, too. According to one NASA Web page, it'll fly by Pluto at about 11km/sec.

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/database/Mas ... =2006-001A

[Fenerit]

Fenerit,

Don't forget that the loss in speed is due to the Sun's gravity. The Sun's gravitational pull is less as the spacecraft gets further from the Sun, so the speed loss is less, too. According to one NASA Web page, it'll fly by Pluto at about 11km/sec.

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/database/Mas ... =2006-001A

Ok, Selden. I'll wait for the nexts log. At 1808 million of km from Pluto NH would have (average) about 15.485 km/s.

[Planet X]

UPDATE! On 11/15/2007, at 11:04:35 UTC, the NH spacecraft reached 1200 million km from the sun. The spacecraft's distance from Earth, by comparison, is nearly 1.332 billion km. NH is now only 3.514 billion km from Pluto and traveling at a rate of 19.463 km/s. Later!

J P

[Reiko]

That is one fast probe!

[MKruer]

Do I get a refund now because Pluto is no longer a planet?

[Reiko]

Pluto will always be a planet in my heart. Those who demoted it should be forced to watch Star Trek V over and over again for a week!