Winter's Coming, Time To Snuggle In

T.G.I.F.

Pluto Has Slushy Ocean, New Horizons Data Reveals

The BBC reports that data from NASA's New Horizons mission indicates the presence of a slushy ocean below part of Sputnik Planitia, the region on the dwarf planet's surface facing it's largest satellite, Charon, with which it is tidally locked. Two papers published this week in Nature discuss the formation of Sputnik Planitia, how a viscous, incredibly cold, hyper saline and ammonia enriched ocean developed beneath it, and why these events led to Pluto and Charon becoming tidally locked (always showing the same side to one another).

"If you were to draw a line from the centre of Pluto's moon Charon through Pluto, it would come out on the other side, almost right through Sputnik Planitia. That line is what we call the tidal axis" said James Keane, from the University of Arizona, co-author of one of a pair of papers published on the subject in Nature journal.

This is strongly suggestive of a particular evolutionary course for Pluto. The researchers contend that Sputnik Planitia formed somewhere else on Pluto and then dragged the entire dwarf planet over - by as much as 60 degrees - relative to its spin axis.

Link

Pluto 'has slushy ocean below surface

Grand Marshal

Our grandniece, Ally Mae, who is 9 years old and a cancer survivor, will be the Grand Marshal of the holiday parade in Concord NH this weekend!! We are so excited for her and so pleased she was unanimously chosen. Rock on, Grand Marshall Ally Mae!! 💜<3 span=""> She has always been Awesome Ally!!

With this post, I now turn the blog over to Catreona until the end 

of January.  I am grateful for a break from the responsibility 

as we head into the holy days and as we head into a new Administration.  

I feel a deep need rising to take time for reflection 

so I can be more responsive and less reactive.  

💥🌟 Thanks for understanding, and great thanks to you, Cat! 🌟🔥

I trust you will bring to this blog your own special style!

Puppies

SUPERMOON

 The November SuperMoon will be 14% larger + 30% brighter than usual, and the most amazing since 1948. Hoping for good weather.

"The second in a triad of supermoons—when the full moon makes a close approach to Earth—will rise in the east after sunset. While the last three months of 2016 each boast a supermoon, this month’s full moon will be the largest and closest to 

Earth since 1948, making it a truly beautiful sight to behold."

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/11/skywatching-sky-guide-november-moon-meteor-shower-astronomy/

http://www.space.com/34515-supermoon-guide.html

Late Season Beauty