In 2006, New Horizons became the fastest object that humanity has ever sent away from the Earth, and it has only picked up speed since. Destined for a rendezvous with Pluto next summer, the spacecraft will provide the first ever close-up look at one of the icy bodies that orbit in the outer Solar System.
But the visit to Pluto won't be an extended one. Provided that New Horizons can avoid the dwarf planet's five moons and any associated debris, it will shoot right past Pluto, travelling deeper into the outer Solar System. In an effort to extract more scientific value from the hardware, researchers are hoping to make sure the probe's trajectory will send it past a Kuiper Belt object. The only problem? We don't know of any in the right neighborhood.
In an attempt to rectify that situation, the committee that allocates observation time on the Hubble Space Telescope has agreed to let the Hubble search for new Kuiper Belt objects in the right neighborhood. The plan will start with a set of test observations where the Hubble will rotate to track a patch of space in the Kuiper Belt region. Due to its rotation, any background stars will appear as streaks in the exposure; Kuiper Belt Objects, in contrast, will show as distinct spots. If this succeeds in identifying some Kuiper Belt Objects, then the Hubble will be turned loose on the area along the future path of New Horizons.
Read 1 remaining paragraphs | Comments
