NASA's New Horizons spacecraft plans to observe Uranus and Neptune from its location far out in the outer solar system this fall, and the mission team is inviting the global amateur astronomy community to come along for the ride - and make a real contribution to space science - by observing both ice giants at the same time.
In September - in tandem with the Hubble Space Telescope - New Horizons will turn its color camera toward Uranus and Neptune. From New Horizons' position in the Kuiper Belt, more than 5 billion miles from Earth, these unique images acquired from "behind" the two giant planets will provide new insights into the atmospheres above and the energy balance within both worlds.
"By combining the information New Horizons collects in space with data from telescopes on Earth, we can supplement and even strengthen our models to uncover the mysteries swirling in the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune," said Alan Stern, New Horizons principal investigator from the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. "Even from amateur astronomer telescopes as small as 16 inches, these complementary observations can be extremely important."
With New Horizons and Hubble focused on the details of the planets' atmospheres and the transfer of heat from their rocky cores through their gaseous exteriors, observers on Earth can measure the distribution of bright features on Uranus or characterize any unusually bright features on Neptune. They can also track those features much longer than either spacecraft.
Following the campaign, observers can post their images - as well as the details of when they were made and in what filter passbands -- on X (formerly Twitter) or Facebook using the hashtag #NHIceGiants. The New Horizons team will see and collect the images and supporting information placed on these platforms using this identifying hashtag.
Full details on the campaign - including finder charts and observation tables - are available on the New Horizons website at (URL to come).
The Hubble images of Uranus and Neptune will be made publicly available in late September on the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes, or MAST, at archive.stsci.edu. The New Horizons team expects to receive the images of Uranus and Neptune from the spacecraft by the end of 2023 and will make them available as well.
Artificial Intelligence Analysis
Defense Industry Analyst:
This article would be of relevance to a Defense Industry Analyst as it discusses the exploration of Uranus and Neptune by the New Horizons spacecraft. The article outlines the importance of the mission to space science, as well as providing insight into the atmospheres of both planets. It also provides an invitation to the global amateur astronomy community to take part in the mission, which could lead to new discoveries in the field of space exploration. The primary audience for this article is the astronomy community and those interested in space exploration.
Stock Market Analyst:
This article would not be of relevance to a Stock Market Analyst, as it does not discuss any financial performance or trends related to the space industry.
General Industry Analyst:
This article would be of relevance to a General Industry Analyst as it provides an overview of the space exploration mission that is being conducted by the New Horizons spacecraft. It outlines the importance of the mission to the space industry, as well as providing insight into the atmospheres of both planets. The primary audience for this article is the astronomy community and those interested in space exploration.
Analyst Summary
: This article discusses the exploration of Uranus and Neptune by the New Horizons spacecraft on a mission to gain new insights into the atmospheres and energy balance of both planets. It outlines the importance of the mission to space science and provides an invitation to the global amateur astronomy community to take part in the mission. Over the past 25 years, there have been significant advancements in the space and defense industry, including the exploration of Mars by the Curiosity Rover. This article highlights the potential for further exploration and discovery within our solar system. Analysts might pose the following investigative questions to further understand the implications of the article:
- 1. What are the potential implications of the mission on space science?
- 2. What new insights could be gained from the mission?
- 3.
How has the amateur astronomy community contributed to space exploration in the past? 4. What new technologies have been developed over the past 25 years to enable space exploration?
5. What other planets could be explored in the future?
This AI report is generated by a sophisticated prompt to a ChatGPT API. Our editors clean text for presentation, but preserve AI thought for our collective observation. Please comment and ask questions about AI use by Spacedaily. We appreciate your support and contribution to better trade news.
