Tod R. Lauer

Extragalactic Astronomy and Spacebased Imaging

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

@Smith5775 @RepLuna Because it won't work. The engine is broken, nor is there even enough fuel to do it even if it wasn't

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

@TruthAsISeeIt23 @RepLuna It was discovered and observed extensively by several Earth-based telescopes.

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

@Bensam123TV @RepLuna @CommunityNotes @NASA Loeb proposed an escape trajectory that requires Del V ~2.7 km/s, or 2x what is available (at best). Grok just repeats Loeb's paper. The proposal is not feasible.

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

This is where we are. The interstellar navigation approach says that NH must be at the intersection of the two lines. (You can only see where the given star is in you're on its line.) The intersection falls right on the known trajectory from DSN tracking. The method works!

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

New Horizons is so far away that the nearest stars have shifted markedly from where we see them on Earth. With NH-based positions for two stars alone we can figure out where the spacecraft is. This technique would be used on interstellar voyages. https://t.co/roJ1ExMXn9

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

These are the two stars that we used: Wolf 359 (L) and Proxima Centauri (R). These are simultaneous images from Earth and New Horizons on April 23, 2020.

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

@AJamesMcCarthy What's with the lights?

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

@TheSpaceshipper The planet of Dune was dark and grim. Tatooine was a much, much better version of Dune.

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

@JPMajor And with it's higher albedo it ends up providing the same amount of light to Pluto as the Moon does to the Earth.

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

@tribelaw As an astronomer who has greatly enjoyed your posts on major legal and constitutional issues, I'm delighted to see your curiosity for the things that we fiddle with.

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

@landru79 @Earth_Forecast mpf_029929*

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

@landru79 @Earth_Forecast It's not LORRI, but a mosaic of several MVIC pan frames.

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

@ThePlanetaryGuy Here's another one to go with it. Note the Pluto-shine lighting up Charon, which is likewise mostly night-side, but for the thin crescent of solar illumination.

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

@ChrisMihos IDKYK

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

@DJSnM Haha - I was just thinking about that a minute ago!

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

@massimastro Well, it's a franchise, you know...

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

@PeterShor1 Eyedeuh phaksyn8tng!

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

@astro_jaz Have you read "The Cosmic Connection" ?

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

@MichaelEMann Don't forget Strangelove

[Tod R. Lauer @TodLauer]

@j_q_balter @tribelaw Of course, and the proof can be given in about 30s.