Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Abacus · 08-20-2002, 06:00 AM

The Voyager Spacecraft were launched 25 years ago. Talk about a long trip.

<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2203151.stm" target="_blank">BBC News</a>

bluefugue · 08-20-2002, 11:05 AM

I still remember in '87 and '89 when one of the Voyagers (II, I believe) passed by Uranus and Neptune, respectively. Whole textbooks were instantaneously rendered obsolete by the new information that was coming in.

That is the fondest memory I have of science. The ISS seems, in a way, rather dull compared to what those robot probes were doing in the '70s and '80s. It was a glorious time for planetary science. Fortunately, the latest Mars probe seems to be on track for success.

Abacus · 08-20-2002, 11:22 AM

It was Voyager II which flew by Uranus and Neptune. In my humble opinion, the un-manned probe missions have been the true glory of the space program. I can't wait until <a href="http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/cassini/index.shtml" target="_blank">Cassini</a> arrives at Saturn in 2004.

theyeti · 08-20-2002, 11:47 AM

Actually, the real scientific bread-winner has been the Hubble Space Telescope. It's more important than all of those probes and the ISS put together.

theyeti

bluefugue · 08-20-2002, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by theyeti:
Actually, the real scientific bread-winner has been the Hubble Space Telescope. It's more important than all of those probes and the ISS put together.

theyeti

I wrote an article about the Hubble for my high school newspaper back in '89 or so. I was very excited about it, but I remember the letdown when it turned out to be broken at first.

Hubble only looks at stars though, doesn't it? Has it provided any planetary data? Is it even capable of doing so (focal length etc.)?

beausoleil · 08-20-2002, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by theyeti:
Actually, the real scientific bread-winner has been the Hubble Space Telescope. It's more important than all of those probes and the ISS put together.

theyeti

Yep, apples are much more important than oranges. The Apollo mission were more important than either IMHO, but that's just throwing bananas into the mix.

Comparing them is daft.

I remember the sense of eager anticipation when Voyager went on its way. Hard to believe I'm lucky enough to be working in planetary science as the results from Hubble, Galileo, Voyager, Cassini (hopefully) Odyssey, MGS... are coming in.

Friar Bellows · 08-20-2002, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by IesusDomini:
Hubble only looks at stars though, doesn't it? Has it provided any planetary data? Is it even capable of doing so (focal length etc.)?

Does it ever! Check it out:

<a href="http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/PR/2001/24/index.html" target="_blank">Hubble Captures Best View of Mars Ever Obtained From Earth</a>

<a href="http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/1999/29/index.html" target="_blank">Hubble Views Ancient Storm in the Atmosphere of Jupiter</a>

<a href="http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/PR/97/21.html" target="_blank">Hubble Captures Volcanic Eruption Plume From Io</a>

<a href="http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/PR/2001/15/index.html" target="_blank">A Change of Seasons on Saturn</a>

More stuff here:

<a href="http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/SolarSystemT.html" target="_blank">STScI Press Release by Subject: Solar System</a>

beausoleil · 08-20-2002, 02:20 PM

I'm not going to get into futile comparisons, except to say that the information about Mars, Jupiter, Io and Saturn from Hubble isn't in the same league as that returned from Viking, Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Oddyssey, Voyagers I and II, Galileo and (hopefully) Cassini-Huygens. I could teach my undergraduate or graduate class on Mars without mentioning Hubble once, for instance, except as an example of 'the best image you can get from Earth' to contrast useful orbital mapping (even Viking) with.

Friar Bellows · 08-20-2002, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by beausoleil:
I'm not going to get into futile comparisons, except to say that the information about Mars, Jupiter, Io and Saturn from Hubble isn't in the same league as that returned from Viking, Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Oddyssey, Voyagers I and II, Galileo and (hopefully) Cassini-Huygens.

The day we have orbiters around every planet, asteroid and comet on a full-time basis is the day that Hubble's (or another space telescope's) job as a planetary science instrument is over. Not before then, despite what you may or may not mention to your grad students.

Friar Bellows · 08-20-2002, 04:22 PM

Just as an example, without the HST, we wouldn't have got such fine pictures/data of the collision of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter, and the subsequent evolution of the impact zones. I mean, aside from its obvious scientific worth, this just rocks:

08-20-2002, 06:00 AM	#1
Abacus Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: South Dakota Posts: 2,214	Voyager Spacecraft The Voyager Spacecraft were launched 25 years ago. Talk about a long trip. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2203151.stm" target="_blank">BBC News</a>

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08-20-2002, 11:05 AM	#2
bluefugue Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,427	I still remember in '87 and '89 when one of the Voyagers (II, I believe) passed by Uranus and Neptune, respectively. Whole textbooks were instantaneously rendered obsolete by the new information that was coming in. That is the fondest memory I have of science. The ISS seems, in a way, rather dull compared to what those robot probes were doing in the '70s and '80s. It was a glorious time for planetary science. Fortunately, the latest Mars probe seems to be on track for success.

08-20-2002, 11:22 AM	#3
Abacus Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: South Dakota Posts: 2,214	It was Voyager II which flew by Uranus and Neptune. In my humble opinion, the un-manned probe missions have been the true glory of the space program. I can't wait until <a href="http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/cassini/index.shtml" target="_blank">Cassini</a> arrives at Saturn in 2004.

08-20-2002, 11:47 AM	#4
theyeti Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Denver, CO, USA Posts: 9,747	Actually, the real scientific bread-winner has been the Hubble Space Telescope. It's more important than all of those probes and the ISS put together. theyeti

08-20-2002, 02:20 PM	#8
beausoleil Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: US and UK Posts: 846	I'm not going to get into futile comparisons, except to say that the information about Mars, Jupiter, Io and Saturn from Hubble isn't in the same league as that returned from Viking, Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Oddyssey, Voyagers I and II, Galileo and (hopefully) Cassini-Huygens. I could teach my undergraduate or graduate class on Mars without mentioning Hubble once, for instance, except as an example of 'the best image you can get from Earth' to contrast useful orbital mapping (even Viking) with.

08-20-2002, 04:22 PM	#10
Friar Bellows Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: arse-end of the world Posts: 2,305	Just as an example, without the HST, we wouldn't have got such fine pictures/data of the collision of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter, and the subsequent evolution of the impact zones. I mean, aside from its obvious scientific worth, this just rocks:

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