BellaOnline Forums Education Astronomy New Horizons - been there, done that, what next?

During yesterday's historic Pluto fly-by, there were no communications from New Horizons to Earth. The spacecraft was left to focus on gathering data. It's expected to take 16 months to get all the data home. So the surprises will keep on coming for some time.

Pluto is considered the gateway to the Kuiper Belt. New Horizons is now sailing deeper into it, looking for new Kuiper Belt targets to study. NASA already has a list of some possibles.

Mona, I find this exploration truly uplifting, I think it vindicates Pluto as an official planet in our solar system. I never liked that it's status changed based on size. It has its own moons, what more can be expected. And, maybe there are more planets in our solar system yet to be discovered!

NASA New Horizons Pluto Mission Tribute Video.
Bradbury read this poem at a Caltech symposium in 1971 just before the Mariner 9 spacecraft went into Mars orbit. Among Bradbury's many fine works was The Martian Chronicles, and others taking part in the symposium were Arthur C. Clarke and Carl Sagan. Wow! It must have been quite an event.