by rigelan » Sun Sep 03, 2006 4:17 pm
It might be because of the apparent width of the objects. Galaxies, even far ones have an decent width (degrees or minutes or even seconds). I'm guessing that the appart width of pluto is just less.
This link shows how accurately the hubble telescope can see at different distances.
http://sm3a.gsfc.nasa.gov/messages/676.html
If at the distance of the moon (384,000 km), hubble can see at a resolution of 124 meters, then at a distance of pluto, (4,500,000,000km from the sun), it should be able to pick out points 1400 km wide. Pluto is 2300 km wide, so pluto is just 2 pixels wide.
It might be because of the apparent width of the objects. Galaxies, even far ones have an decent width (degrees or minutes or even seconds). I'm guessing that the appart width of pluto is just less.
This link shows how accurately the hubble telescope can see at different distances.
http://sm3a.gsfc.nasa.gov/messages/676.html
If at the distance of the moon (384,000 km), hubble can see at a resolution of 124 meters, then at a distance of pluto, (4,500,000,000km from the sun), it should be able to pick out points 1400 km wide. Pluto is 2300 km wide, so pluto is just 2 pixels wide.