Juno spacecraft is reaching Jupiter today

Well, if you're a space geek (speek?) or space nerd (sperd?) today should be pretty exciting.  The Juno spacecraft is coming into the conclusion of it's five-year trip to Jupiter.  It will spend the next year and eight months in a pretty close orbit of the planet, even passing within the outer stretches of the Jovian atmosphere.

Coverage of the final insertion phase begins around 10:30 pm.

http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-announces-coverage-media-activities-for-juno-mission-arrival-at-jupiter


I am a space geek too, ever since I was a child, I wanted a telescope to see the planets and stars (I never got one from Santa, though....).  But when I see these close-up pictures of the planets, I just can't wrap my head around the fact that this is real, and not fantastic animation.  I even have this problem looking up in the sky at a beautiful full moon.  It's all just so beautiful and a subtle reminder that all this crapola on Earth doesn't mean a thing when there is all this fantastic stuff out there for us to explore and possibly learn from.


What would you call a space dork?

More info about Juno's upcoming orbits here:

http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/mop/files/2015/02/CaptureOrbits.pdf

Data from Juno will likely inform discussions on early solar system history and basic concepts of planet formation in the next few years.


We live near JPL in LA and went to their recent open house and got to meet and talk with the Juno team - so exiting!


This achievement is so awesome. Some of the details are breathtaking and so carefully thought out, such as the plan for Juno to off itself at the end of its mission by disintegrating into Jupiter's atmosphere.  That is to keep Juno from crashing into any of Jupiter's moons -- especially Europa -- and contaminating any life forms that may exist.


Why Juno's journey will end with a death plunge

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2016/07/01/why-junos-journey-will-eventually-end-with-a-death-plunge/


mrincredible said:

Well, if you're a space geek (speek?) or space nerd (sperd?) today should be pretty exciting.  

O, to be a space jock, otherwise known as a ...


I am SO excited about all of this--I'm following along with my 5 year old, who decided many months ago that Jupiter is her favorite planet because it starts with a J.


Echoing DottyParker above, a scientific achievement like this is truly breathtaking. If Mankind can place a probe of such complex design into a distant Jovian orbit with such exactness, what else can we accomplish? 

At the same time, space exploratory events like this provokes a deep existential dread. It reminds me that we are just a cosmic speck in the loneliest corner of the universe, and that our existence is but an infinitesimally fleeting moment in an unknowable stretch of time.


xavier67 said:

Echoing DottyParker above, a scientific achievement like this is truly breathtaking. If Mankind can place a probe of such complex design into a distant Jovian orbit with such exactness, what else can we accomplish? 

At the same time, space exploratory events like this provokes a deep existential dread. It reminds me that we are just a cosmic speck in the loneliest corner of the universe, and that our existence is but an infinitesimally fleeting moment in an unknowable stretch of time.

My thoughts exactly.  I am reminded of this whenever I see a picture of our place in the solar system.* Earth's position is what scientists sometimes refer to as the "Goldilocks zone."  We are in a precise distance from our star, the Sun, to support this life on Earth.  Too close or too far and we wouldn't be having this conversation.  The thought of it makes me need a drink, but it's also a reminder of how much more we should do to care for precious Mother Earth.  It's not cool that we are melting.


*This wiki pic of our Solar system shows estimated distances, but you get the idea.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_System#/media/Filesurprisedlanets2013.svg


Honorary member of the Glassboro State College Astronomy Club here!



DaveSchmidt said:
mrincredible said:

Well, if you're a space geek (speek?) or space nerd (sperd?) today should be pretty exciting.  

O, to be a space jock, otherwise known as a ...

Spack?


I don’t talk spack, especially with space jocks.

bub said:

Liquid metallic hydrogen.  Cool:

https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/09aug_juno3

Wish the video still worked.



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