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New Horizons: Last view of Pluto's spots | New Horizons: Last view of Pluto's spots |
(35 minutes later) | |
Take a good look at the latest picture of Pluto because it shows the face of the dwarf planet that will not be seen during next week's historic flyby. | Take a good look at the latest picture of Pluto because it shows the face of the dwarf planet that will not be seen during next week's historic flyby. |
The US space agency's New Horizons probe was less than 2.5 million km from the diminutive world on Saturday and closing in fast. | The US space agency's New Horizons probe was less than 2.5 million km from the diminutive world on Saturday and closing in fast. |
Come Tuesday, it will be grabbing shots from an altitude of just 12,500km. | Come Tuesday, it will be grabbing shots from an altitude of just 12,500km. |
But the newly published image, showing Pluto's "spots", is of the hemisphere that will soon rotate out of view. | But the newly published image, showing Pluto's "spots", is of the hemisphere that will soon rotate out of view. |
It will not be seen again until after New Horizons has gone behind the 2,300km-wide dwarf, and then only in the faint light reflected off the little planet's biggest moon, Charon. | It will not be seen again until after New Horizons has gone behind the 2,300km-wide dwarf, and then only in the faint light reflected off the little planet's biggest moon, Charon. |
That in itself should make for some fascinating science, however, because it will tell researchers what happens on Pluto's dark side. | That in itself should make for some fascinating science, however, because it will tell researchers what happens on Pluto's dark side. |
Some models predict that its nitrogen-rich atmosphere snows out in the deep cold of night. | Some models predict that its nitrogen-rich atmosphere snows out in the deep cold of night. |
The mission team will be able to determine if this is so by studying changes in the patterns of reflectivity. | The mission team will be able to determine if this is so by studying changes in the patterns of reflectivity. |
Pluto's four dark spots first came into focus at the end of June. | Pluto's four dark spots first came into focus at the end of June. |
The intrigue is their regular spacing and size, with each being about 480km across. | The intrigue is their regular spacing and size, with each being about 480km across. |
Alan Stern, the principal investigator on New Horizons, spoke to the BBC on Saturday to convey the mood inside his team ahead of the flyby. | Alan Stern, the principal investigator on New Horizons, spoke to the BBC on Saturday to convey the mood inside his team ahead of the flyby. |
"It's electric; it's truly electric," the Southwest Research Institute professor said. | "It's electric; it's truly electric," the Southwest Research Institute professor said. |
"People are just thrilled and they have big smiles on their faces, and the data that's coming down - even though it's only a small amount of what the spacecraft's taking - is so beautiful. | "People are just thrilled and they have big smiles on their faces, and the data that's coming down - even though it's only a small amount of what the spacecraft's taking - is so beautiful. |
"Pluto is not disappointing. Pluto is spectacular." | "Pluto is not disappointing. Pluto is spectacular." |
New Horizons is travelling at almost 14km/s towards its target. | New Horizons is travelling at almost 14km/s towards its target. |
At that speed it cannot go into orbit, and must simply barrel past, acquiring as many images and other types of data as it can. | At that speed it cannot go into orbit, and must simply barrel past, acquiring as many images and other types of data as it can. |
The hemisphere it will characterise in most detail is centred on a region between a very dark equatorial band that has come to be known as "the whale" and a remarkably bright expanse of terrain shaped like a heart. | The hemisphere it will characterise in most detail is centred on a region between a very dark equatorial band that has come to be known as "the whale" and a remarkably bright expanse of terrain shaped like a heart. |
New Horizons' long-range camera, Lorri, will carpet map two 80km-wide strips across this hemisphere, revealing surface features down to a best resolution of 80m per pixel. | New Horizons' long-range camera, Lorri, will carpet map two 80km-wide strips across this hemisphere, revealing surface features down to a best resolution of 80m per pixel. |
All of the probe's information will come back very slowly, however. | All of the probe's information will come back very slowly, however. |
The vast distance to Pluto - some 4.7bn km - means bit rates are extremely slow, and it will take a full 16 months for everything seen in the next few days to trickle back to Earth. | The vast distance to Pluto - some 4.7bn km - means bit rates are extremely slow, and it will take a full 16 months for everything seen in the next few days to trickle back to Earth. |
Closest approach to Pluto on Tuesday is set for exactly 11:49:59 GMT (12:49:59 BST; 07:49:59 EDT). | |
A successful rendezvous will complete the reconnaissance of the "classical nine planets", with every one then having been visited by a probe at least once. | |
The last major world to get this treatment was Neptune, which was passed by Voyager-2 in 1989 on its way out into deep space. | |
The BBC will be screening a special Sky At Night programme called Pluto Revealed on Monday 20 July, which will recap all the big moments from the New Horizons flyby. | The BBC will be screening a special Sky At Night programme called Pluto Revealed on Monday 20 July, which will recap all the big moments from the New Horizons flyby. |
Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos | Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos |