The New Horizons Spacecraft Just Helped Make First Stereoscopic Image Of A Star's Location

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The wonders – and mysteries – of Kuiper Belt object 2014 MU69 continue to multiply as [**NASA's New Horizons**](http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/) spacecraft beams home new images of its New Year's Day 2019 flyby target.

[**This image**](http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Galleries/Featured-Images/pics/CA06_deconvolved.png)**,** taken during the historic Jan. 1 flyby of what's informally known as Ultima Thule, is the clearest view yet of this remarkable, ancient object in the far reaches of the solar system – and the first small "KBO" ever explored by a spacecraft.

Obtained with the wide-angle Multicolor Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC) component of New Horizons' Ralph instrument, this image was taken when the KBO was 4,200 miles (6,700 kilometers) from the spacecraft, at 05:26 UT (12:26 a.m. EST) on Jan. 1 – just seven minutes before closest approach. With an original resolution of 440 feet (135 meters) per pixel, the image was stored in the spacecraft's data memory and transmitted to Earth on Jan. 18-19. Scientists then sharpened the image to enhance fine detail. (This process – known as deconvolution – also amplifies the graininess of the image when viewed at high contrast.)

The oblique lighting of this image reveals new topographic details along the day/night boundary, or terminator, near the top. These details include numerous small pits up to about 0.4 miles (0.7 kilometers) in diameter. The large circular feature, about 4 miles (7 kilometers) across, on the smaller of the two lobes, also appears to be a deep depression. Not clear is whether these pits are impact craters or features resulting from other processes, such as "collapse pits" or the ancient venting of volatile materials.

Both lobes also show many intriguing light and dark patterns of unknown origin, which may reveal clues about how this body was assembled during the formation of the solar system 4.5 billion years ago. One of the most striking of these is the bright "collar" separating the two lobes.

>"This new image is starting to reveal differences in the geologic character of the two lobes of Ultima Thule, and is presenting us with new mysteries as well," said Principal Investigator Alan Stern, of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. "Over the next month there will be better color and better resolution images that we hope will help unravel the many mysteries of Ultima Thule."

New Horizons is approximately 4.13 billion miles (6.64 billion kilometers) from Earth, operating normally and speeding away from the Sun (and Ultima Thule) at more than 31,500 miles (50,700 kilometers) per hour. At that distance, a radio signal reaches Earth six hours and nine minutes after leaving the spacecraft.

Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute

<div class="md"><p>The wonders – and mysteries – of Kuiper Belt object 2014 MU69 continue to multiply as <a href="http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/"><strong>NASA&#39;s New Horizons</strong></a> spacecraft beams home new images of its New Year&#39;s Day 2019 flyby target.</p>

<p><a href="http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Galleries/Featured-Images/pics/CA06_deconvolved.png"><strong>This image</strong></a><strong>,</strong> taken during the historic Jan. 1 flyby of what&#39;s informally known as Ultima Thule, is the clearest view yet of this remarkable, ancient object in the far reaches of the solar system – and the first small &quot;KBO&quot; ever explored by a spacecraft.</p>

<p>Obtained with the wide-angle Multicolor Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC) component of New Horizons&#39; Ralph instrument, this image was taken when the KBO was 4,200 miles (6,700 kilometers) from the spacecraft, at 05:26 UT (12:26 a.m. EST) on Jan. 1 – just seven minutes before closest approach. With an original resolution of 440 feet (135 meters) per pixel, the image was stored in the spacecraft&#39;s data memory and transmitted to Earth on Jan. 18-19. Scientists then sharpened the image to enhance fine detail. (This process – known as deconvolution – also amplifies the graininess of the image when viewed at high contrast.)</p>

<p>The oblique lighting of this image reveals new topographic details along the day/night boundary, or terminator, near the top. These details include numerous small pits up to about 0.4 miles (0.7 kilometers) in diameter. The large circular feature, about 4 miles (7 kilometers) across, on the smaller of the two lobes, also appears to be a deep depression. Not clear is whether these pits are impact craters or features resulting from other processes, such as &quot;collapse pits&quot; or the ancient venting of volatile materials.</p>

<p>Both lobes also show many intriguing light and dark patterns of unknown origin, which may reveal clues about how this body was assembled during the formation of the solar system 4.5 billion years ago. One of the most striking of these is the bright &quot;collar&quot; separating the two lobes.</p>

<blockquote>
<p>&quot;This new image is starting to reveal differences in the geologic character of the two lobes of Ultima Thule, and is presenting us with new mysteries as well,&quot; said Principal Investigator Alan Stern, of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. &quot;Over the next month there will be better color and better resolution images that we hope will help unravel the many mysteries of Ultima Thule.&quot;</p>
</blockquote>

<p>New Horizons is approximately 4.13 billion miles (6.64 billion kilometers) from Earth, operating normally and speeding away from the Sun (and Ultima Thule) at more than 31,500 miles (50,700 kilometers) per hour. At that distance, a radio signal reaches Earth six hours and nine minutes after leaving the spacecraft.</p>

<p>Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute</p>
</div>

New Horizons' Newest and Best-Yet View of Ultima Thule!

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2014 MU69, now in higher resolution!

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I painted a New Horizons themed cornhole board for a NASA picnic. I tried to be as scientifically accurate as possible.

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I Interviewed Ron Miller, Who Inspired The New Horizons Mission To Pluto. He Created A Stamp Which Irritated Space Scientists At NASA and JPL To The Point Of Hastening Preparations Of A Pluto Mission. His Stamp Is Aboard the NH Craft Which Flew Past Pluto A Year Ago !

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Probe Tracker 07 - a project I'm working on. Any suggestions?

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Currently, New Horizons is around  33.32 AU.  Planet nine is suspected to be a minimum of 200 AU.   Does New Horizons have enough delta V to change its course to possibly do a flyby of the ninth planet?  Its supposed to be rather large so it wouldn't have to be too precise, it would just need to get close.   

<div class="md"><p>Currently, New Horizons is around  33.32 AU.  Planet nine is suspected to be a minimum of 200 AU.   Does New Horizons have enough delta V to change its course to possibly do a flyby of the ninth planet?  Its supposed to be rather large so it wouldn&#39;t have to be too precise, it would just need to get close.   </p>
</div>

Question: If we discover an eighth planet, would it be possible for New Horizons to do a flyby?

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New Horizons Finds Red-Colored Water Ice on Pluto | Space Exploration | Sci-News.com

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New Horizons Probe Snaps Snakeskin-Like Texture of Pluto's Surface - ABC News

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Latest images reveal Pluto's hazy horizon - BBC News

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Sunset on Pluto: Breathtaking NASA Photo Shows Mountains, Wispy Atmosphere

It will take a year for New Horizons to send all of its Pluto data back to Earth | The Verge

New Horizons Begins Monumental Year-Long Data Dump After Pluto Flyby - ABC News

Ride Along on New Horizons Probe's Epic Pluto Flyby (Video) - Yahoo News

Onward!: NASA Selects Next Destination for New Horizons in Kuiper Belt

New Horizons mission exceeds expectations

New Horizons News and Features | NASA

I'm making a composite image of all the planets (previous version: http://imgur.com/itRTZS0), and I'm wondering whether it's worth waiting for the newer photos or not. 
So: does anyone know roughly (like, next few months/sometime in 6 months/within 12 months) when we'll get the highest resolution full image of Pluto? Possibly a bit of a shot in the dark this, I know.
Many thanks :)

<div class="md"><p>I&#39;m making a composite image of all the planets (previous version: <a href="http://imgur.com/itRTZS0">http://imgur.com/itRTZS0</a>), and I&#39;m wondering whether it&#39;s worth waiting for the newer photos or not. 
So: does anyone know roughly (like, next few months/sometime in 6 months/within 12 months) when we&#39;ll get the highest resolution full image of Pluto? Possibly a bit of a shot in the dark this, I know.
Many thanks :)</p>
</div>

Question - does anyone know (roughly) when we expect the highest resolution image of Pluto

Informal Names for Features on Pluto’s Sputnik Planum

NASA Goddard involved in New Horizons from start

NASA'S new horizons mission to Pluto has left the entire world surprised - The Hoops News

Love NASA’s New Horizons photos? There are plenty more on the way | NewsQuench

What We Found at Pluto

Queen Guitarist Brian May is Now a New Horizons Science Collaborator | Smart News | Smithsonian

Cute Pluto t-shirt

New Horizons Team Finds Haze, Flowing Ice on Pluto

Flying over Pluto’s icy plains and Hillary Mountains

This red-green 3D analglyph shows some awesome structures to pluto. The bright blob in the center is actually a high plateau surrounded by a huge moat-like chasm. The dark areas are actually chunks taken out of the planet!

New Horizons reveals more mountains in Pluto's heart - BBC News

New Horizons Finds Second Mountain Range in Pluto’s ‘Heart’

New Horizons LORRI Image (2015-07-14 10:20:26 UTC) - Pluto

#New Horizons Mission
***
##Mission Stats

New Horizons' closest approach to Pluto was at 7:49:59 a.m. EDT (11:49:59 UTC) on July 14, 2015.


New Horizons image resolution exceeded that of Hubble on May 5th.

***
##New Horizons Probe

* [New Horizons NASA Page](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/main/#)
* [New Horizons JHUAPL Page](http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/)
* [New Horizons at Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Horizons)
* [New Horizons Image Gallery](http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Multimedia/Science-Photos/view.php?gallery_id=2)
* [LORRI Image Gallery](http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/soc/Pluto-Encounter/index.php?page=1)
* [Current Position](http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Mission/Where-is-New-Horizons/index.php#)


##Social Media

* [NASANewHorizons@Twitter](https://twitter.com/nasanewhorizons) (New Horrizons Twitter)
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I am looking for People that can be active and help post updates. 

<div class="md"><h1>New Horizons Mission</h1>

<hr/>

<h2>Mission Stats</h2>

<p>New Horizons&#39; closest approach to Pluto was at 7:49:59 a.m. EDT (11:49:59 UTC) on July 14, 2015.</p>

<p>New Horizons image resolution exceeded that of Hubble on May 5th.</p>

<hr/>

<h2>New Horizons Probe</h2>

<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/main/#">New Horizons NASA Page</a></li>
<li><a href="http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/">New Horizons JHUAPL Page</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Horizons">New Horizons at Wikipedia</a></li>
<li><a href="http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Multimedia/Science-Photos/view.php?gallery_id=2">New Horizons Image Gallery</a></li>
<li><a href="http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/soc/Pluto-Encounter/index.php?page=1">LORRI Image Gallery</a></li>
<li><a href="http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Mission/Where-is-New-Horizons/index.php#">Current Position</a></li>
</ul>

<h2>Social Media</h2>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/nasanewhorizons">NASANewHorizons@Twitter</a> (New Horrizons Twitter)</li>
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<h1>Submission/Comment Rules:</h1>

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<li>This subreddit is dedicated to News and general New Horrizons info.</li>
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<li>Please report rules violations.</li>
<li>If particularly egregious, message the mods.</li>
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<div class="md"><p>Everything about New Horizons.</p>
</div>

New Horizons Mission

Mission Stats

New Horizons Probe

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