[Ultron]

Okay, I realize I may be a week or two (or more) late on this, but I am sure that at least one of you missed this...


http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-new-horizons-detects-surface-features-possible-polar-cap-on-pluto


I am curious tho - is NASA waiting to secretly examine them, or are they simply just saving power by not taking photos all the time?

[8pla.net]

I read the images are for navigational purposes now,
but as they get nearer and nearer to Pluto, they will
improve to better support discoveries in science.

Opinion:
NASA may secretly examine the images, but most likely
that is just standard operating procedures to verify the
image processing is correctly navigating the spacecraft.

In theory, changes in the orientation of the spacecraft
may be calculated from the images.  And that mathematics,
may be used to compare against system logs to check those
systems are operating within normal parameters.

What is your theory?

[Ultron]

Nobody really knows what's out there, not even with all those 50 thousand satellites in orbit - we can see many light years away, but it is not impossible to miss something just a few million kilometers away from Earth.


This is why I believe NASA take a few days to closely examine pictures and raw data from telescopes and satellites - in order to know exactly what they are showing the public and make sure a facebook fan doesn't spot an alien on the image before they do.


Silly, simple and possible. While I do not disregard the navigation idea, which could be the primary purpose.


All on all this is not a serious topic and the idea of this discussion was different

[8pla.net]

Well, for the sake of conversation...  We know an image is a two dimensional plane.   So, in the most simplistic terms, we may assign an X axis and a Y axis to that plane.   

Then we may assign a Z axis to the direction in which the spacecraft is heading, and adjust it according how the position of Pluto compares to the X and Y axes on the two dimensional plane.

Our mission to reach Pluto will be to keep the X and Y axes both at zero (0,0), and then slowly decrement the Z axis until it reaches zero (0,0,0).

This is my hypothesis which is not proven.   Please disprove it by providing a counterexample.


   

[Ultron]

I really wish I had something against your theory - for the sake of discussion, but sadly I wasn't against it in the first place either.


I already agreed with your hypothesis and brought up some other possibilities. I am sure a read-up on NASA's website would shed some light over actual facts, but I am preoccupied and not really interested at the moment. Just wanting to learn more about Pluto. It's the last planet from our Sol system I haven't seen an actual photo of.

[Freddy]

It's the last planet from our Sol system I haven't seen an actual photo of.

You reminded me of this :

Astronomers Say Two Unknown Planets May Lurk Beyond Pluto

[Ultron]

Yeah Freddy, that's been around for a while. I figured somebody might attempt to correct me, however I personally do not consider them to be planets, due to their size (I highly doubt they are as large as Earth).


These are most likely to be asteroid size and planet shape (round-ish). Otherwise, with all of the fancy telescopes on and off Earth we would have spotted them.

[Freddy]

I wasn't attempting to correct you, I just thought it might interest you

[Ultron]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean 'correct' - I meant 'harass' me.


It would've been funnier if I said it like that Just joking...