Posted by finelinebob on August 26, 2006, at 23:53:18
In reply to Re: Pluto is not a planet anymore?, posted by Deneb on August 26, 2006, at 20:46:40
I think Pluto should take some heart from Pioneers 10 and 11 and Voyagers 1 and 2. Tiny little satellites, built on a fraction of the budget modern satellites require, and they're leaving the neighborhood, the first man-made objects to do so. Voyager 1 and 2 are still transmitting data, and Voyager 2 should still be transmitting by the time it reaches truly interstellar space.
Good things come in small packages.
If Jupiter had been a bit more of a gravity-hog matter-accreting bully, it would have had enough mass to "ignite" and become a star in its own right. You think you need sunscreen now? Imagine getting caught between TWO stars. Ouch!
poster:finelinebob
thread:680123
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20060819/msgs/680428.html