AIBU to be excited about the fly past of Pluto?

[UncertainSmile]

Over the next day or so we're going to learn a lot more about poor, demoted old Pluto. Lots of great new pictures too. Anyone else excited?

[Cloggal]

Yanbu it's a genuine wonder that we are able to know anything about a place so far away. It makes me feel like a child (curious, wondering, in awe). I love it.

[NewFlipFlops]

YANBU!!!

[TawnyPippit]

I've just been watching a documentary about it with the DC and we're all pretty excited. They are 11 and 13 and otherwise too cool for school.

[Cloggal]

Where was it on Tawny? I'd love to see a good documentary about it

[UncertainSmile]

The intelligence of people that can get a spacecraft within a few thousand miles of a (dwarf) planet billions of miles away after a decade's journey; I take my hat off to them, incredible.

[ghostyslovesheep]

YANBU at all - it is exciting

[bumbleymummy]

YANBU! :)

[Pantone363]

No idea what you are talking about

[meglet]

yanbu. neglected 10th born, no decent photos at all .

he's been on the naughty step since they realised he wasn't behaving himself (something to do with orbiting at the wrong angle iirc).

[Potterwolfie]

9 year old DS presented me with a petition to sign yesterday, to get Pluto reinstated. I totally agree with him. Once a planet, always a planet IMO. Yes, fly past is very, mind bendingly exciting!

[UncertainSmile]

I've heard that some of the body responsible for the downgrading have regretted their decision, but are stymied by the other dwarf planets that we know of.

[totallybewildered]

Pluto can't ever be classed as a planet, because it simply isn't one. That doesn't mean it isn't held in special affection though.

It is now known to have at least 6 moons! Or it might be more accurate to say it IS 6 moons, the largest of which has retained the name Pluto. This is in deference to all the people who feel particularly attatched to the name.

It will be days before any pictures reach Earth, and years before all the data is fully analysed.

Yes it is very exciting!

[BerylStreep]

I knew nothing about this.

[UncertainSmile]

There's a programme called Mission Pluto on the Nat Geo channel, there's also something on Discovery on Sunday.

[MenopausalMaud]

This is the type of thing that the word unbelievable was invented for!
I truly find the images unbelievable and can't comprehend how we can send something 3 billion miles away with any accuracy.
It actually freaks me out a bit :)

[KenAdams]

I can't wait!

[TawnyPippit]

Lol, was just about to say it was probably on National Geographic or Discovery. Sorry, there were no ad breaks and it was already on when I got in from the gym. Excitable young male presenter from New York who was somewhat in love with himself

DH has recently explained to DS that you must never pass by the opportunity for a good Uranus joke: eg, "I see they are sending a probe to Mars, I wonder if it will ever be possible to send a probe to Uranus". I came in this evening to them all watching this programme and DS saying "Mum, it's fabulous, there are going to be detailed close up photos of Pluto; if only they could do the same for Uranus".

[Cloggal]

tawny

thanks for the titles uncertain, will check them out!

[Edenviolet]

My dd2 (5) is so excited about this! She loves all things to do with space to the point of obsession and until last week believed that humans had destroyed Pluto (her teacher told her it was no longer a planet and she misunderstood)

She has done a lot of paintings of Pluto and has a space book she reads every night, I went to school with one of the scientists involved in the project and she was so lovely and said dds picture was very good which made dds year!
We will be following it all and are very excited to see all the pictures. It really is amazing

[Cloggal]

That's lovely hedgehog, my 2yo DS is also a big fan without understanding much of what's going on!

[maddening]

You Can follow it on their website - it has updates etc

pluto.jhuapl.edu/

[Edenviolet]

Dd is so interested in it, she said the other week " I love space when I grow up I want to be a ....planet" !!! I thought she was going to say astronaut !

[geekymommy]

Why would that be unreasonable? It's cool!

Pluto got put on the naughty step for not cleaning up its orbit, not for orbiting at the wrong inclination.

[PaintingTheWindows]

Following so I can pick up the info re the documentaries tomorrow to show ds.

[Cloggal]

geekymommy I fear you're biased given your username

Ahh hedgehog! I love how it's so exciting to them but also utterly incomprehensible- a bit like the rest of us.