NASA Releases New High Rez New Horizon Pics

NASA's New Horizon probe was launched January 2006 and after nine and a half years and 3 billion miles, has sent back the clearest photos of Pluto. These pics are 10 times the resolution of previous pictures, and shows, Pluto's moon Charon as well as its other satellites.

 New Horizon began its historic pass in July of 2015 and began transmitting data almost immediately. However due to its distance and small, low power transmitter, New Horizon will be sending data well into 2016 before the thousands of picture that were taken are transmitted back to Earth.

Click HERE for more photos and info

Asteroid to do a Flyby on January 26 2015

Don't get your knickers in a knot however.  Asteroid 2004 BL86   will indeed make the closest approach of an asteroid of this size until asteroid 1999 AN10 makes its approach in 2027. Asteroid 2004 Bl86 poses no threat to Earth for the foreseeable future.  

 

Asteroid 2004 BL86  is approximately a third of a mile wide. Compare that to the asteroid Vesta, which is about the size of the state of Arizona. 

Read the complete C/Net article HERE

Cassini flyby of Saturn's Moon Hyperion

Recently, the Cassini orbiter did a specacular flyby of Saturn's moon Hyperion. Now this is a weird moon. Watch the chaotic rotation the moon experiences during the film. Check out the surface topology! Something odd was going on when this potato shaped moon was formed.


IO9 article