APOD: Night on Venus in Infrared from... (2016 Jun 07)

[APOD Robot]

Night on Venus in Infrared from Orbiting Akatsuki

Explanation: Why is Venus so different from Earth? To help find out, Japan launched the robotic Akatsuki spacecraft which entered orbit around Venus late last year after an unplanned five-year adventure around the inner Solar System. Even though Akatsuki has passed its original planned lifetime, the spacecraft and its instruments are operating so well that much of its original mission has been reinstated. In the featured image taken by Akatsuki late last month, Venus was captured in infrared light showing a surprising amount of atmospheric structure on its night side. The vertical orange terminator stripe between night and day is so wide because of light is so diffused by Venus' thick atmosphere. Also known as the Venus Climate Orbiter, Akatsuki has cameras and instruments that will investigate unknowns about the planet, including whether volcanoes are still active, whether lightning occurs in the dense atmosphere, and why wind speeds greatly exceed the planet's rotation speed.

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[Ann]

Venus has been extremely neglected by human-made probes. Considering how close it is to us, and how similar it is to the Earth in size and mass, our lack of interest in our sister planet is even more remarkable. Rather than thinking of Venus as our sister planet, however, we seem to treat it as humanity's unpopular step sibling or step world, one we don't want to have much to do with.

It is very good that the Japanese probe Akastuki is studying it.

Ann

[Guest]

There are a pair of very narrow, straight-ish, almost parallel features in the clouds on the night side. Does anybody know what they are?

[Boomer12k]

Cool, looking forward to the answers....

:---[===] *

[Boomer12k]

There are a pair of very narrow, straight-ish, almost parallel features in the clouds on the night side. Does anybody know what they are?

Like with Jupiter, maybe regional zones... striations that have separated out... like Horse Latitudes, or Calm Zones....perhaps... just my take... I think they separate because of Rotation... but that is just my conjecture.

:---[===] *

[Astronymus]

There are a pair of very narrow, straight-ish, almost parallel features in the clouds on the night side. Does anybody know what they are?

Like with Jupiter, maybe regional zones... striations that have separated out... like Horse Latitudes, or Calm Zones....perhaps... just my take... I think they separate because of Rotation... but that is just my conjecture.

:---[===] *

There are also some artefacts, probably caused by the camera system or mosaic tiling of the picture.

[ygmarchi]

In fact Venus has been strangely little explored so far.

[ygmarchi]

Venus has been extremely neglected by human-made probes. Considering how close it is to us, and how similar it is to the Earth in size and mass, our lack of interest in our sister planet is even more remarkable. Rather than thinking of Venus as our sister planet, however, we seem to treat it as humanity's unpopular step sibling or step world, one we don't want to have much to do with.

It is very good that the Japanese probe Akastuki is studying it.

Ann

Totally agree, in fact I've just published a similar comment. Luckily some Russian probes have sent us images from the surface. I hope to see some more in the near future.

[neufer]

<<It is believed that the phrase “better late than never” is a direct translation of a Latin proverb. It was first recorded as “potiusque sero quam nunquam” by Titus Livy in his “History of Rome.” The phrase found its way into English later. How this happened is unknown. It could have been translated from Latin works or become part of everyday vernacular in Latin and passed on as languages changed.

Geoffrey Chaucer used a variation of the phrase in his “Canterbury Tales.” The phrase appears in the “Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale.” Both characters are absent from the prologue and join the merry band at a later date as they make their way to Canterbury. Both are portrayed as alchemists, and Chaucer’s distaste for both is clear to see. The phrase does not relate to their late arrival, but to what actions should be taken. The full line is: “Ye that it usen, I counsel ye it let, lest ye lose al; for bet than never is late; never to thrive, were too long a date.” Chaucer is basically saying that never is too long an amount of time for something to thrive, but to be late is not. His form of this phrase is written as “for bet than never is late.”

“Better late than never” can be used as both an excuse and a terse denunciation for tardiness. If a student arrives late at a lecture or hands an essay in late, the professor may utter such a phrase. The cheeky student may also make a stab at humor by using it. The proverb is also related to “it’s never too late,” which is to say that it is never too late to stop something or to try something. To stop smoking later in life is “better late than never,” as is finding the time to explore new musical types, travel the world or get to grips with Woody Allen films. This does not mean such things are necessarily better later in life.>>

[Dad is watching]

Does this photo show differences in heat within the surface layer of visible clouds that we see optically, or are we seeing heat differences that are present below the visible surface and deeper in the atmosphere. If deeper, then how far down is it?

Also, the pole that we have the best view of seems to have some straighter features that reminded us of the corner of a hexagon. Something like on the larger gas giants. Is there any chance the probe will show us a more polar view in the future, so we can see what is there?

[Astronymus]

Luckily some Russian probes have sent us images from the surface. I hope to see some more in the near future.

I sometimes wonder if modern materials would withstand the conditions longer and allow more research.

Also, the pole that we have the best view of seems to have some straighter features that reminded us of the corner of a hexagon. Something like on the larger gas giants. Is there any chance the probe will show us a more polar view in the future, so we can see what is there?

Where in the name of Galilei do you see a hexagon in this picture?

[neufer]

Does this photo show differences in heat within the surface layer of visible clouds that we see optically, or are we seeing heat differences that are present below the visible surface and deeper in the atmosphere. If deeper, then how far down is it?

The photo makes use of a broad near infrared spectral window around 2.3 micron that sees deep into the Venusian atmosphere (if not to the surface itself).

Also, the pole that we have the best view of seems to have some straighter features that reminded us of the corner of a hexagon. Something like on the larger gas giants. Is there any chance the probe will show us a more polar view in the future, so we can see what is there?

---

The Venus Express spacecraft went over the pole and found a single unusual swirling cloud vortex.

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100928.html
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070501.html

Akatsuki is in a near equatorial orbit and won't see the poles for another two years

[BMAONE23]

While Venus does have polar vortices, they tend to be more chaotic than those on Saturn
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/2013/0 ... -the-poles

Click to view full size image

[zendae]

Why was the five-year adventure around the inner Solar System unplanned? What was it supposed to accomplish instead?

[Rusty Brown in Cad]

Extensive and detailed write up on Wiki re orbital problems and their ultimate resolution.

[neufer]

Why was the five-year adventure around the inner Solar System unplanned?
What was it supposed to accomplish instead?

Extensive and detailed write up on Wiki re orbital problems and their ultimate resolution.

[b][size=150][color=#0000FF]Scenic Route[/color][/size][/b]

---

<<A tourist highway or holiday route is a road which is marketed as particularly suited for tourists. Tourist highways may be formed when existing roads are promoted with traffic signs and advertising material. Some tourist highways such as the Blue Ridge Parkway are built especially for tourism purposes. Others may be roadways enjoyed by local citizens in areas of unique or exceptional natural beauty. Still others, such as the Lincoln Highway in Illinois are former main roads, only designated as "scenic" after most traffic bypasses them. In the USA this type of roadway is commonly termed a scenic highway. In Europe and other countries around the world they are often marked with brown tourist signs with the individual route symbol and/or name.>>

[Dinkkly]

---

Akatsuki is in a near equatorial orbit and won't see the poles for another two years

The Wiki article said, "A follow-up thruster burn on 26 March 2016, lowered Akatsuki's peak altitude of its orbit to about 330,000 km (210,000 mi) and shorten its orbital period from 13 to 9 days."

Will it perhaps see the poles sooner than 2 years?

[neufer]

The Wiki article said, "A follow-up thruster burn on 26 March 2016, lowered Akatsuki's peak altitude of its orbit to about 330,000 km (210,000 mi) and shorten its orbital period from 13 to 9 days."

Will it perhaps see the poles sooner than 2 years?

With a near equatorial orbit a lower altitude makes it only harder to see the poles.

[bystander]

Why was the five-year adventure around the inner Solar System unplanned?
What was it supposed to accomplish instead?

Extensive and detailed write up on Wiki re orbital problems and their ultimate resolution.

http://asterisk.apod.com/viewtopic.php?t=20668#p138367

[MarkBour]

Fascinating to read about the troubles that Akatsuki had, which led to "the scenic route". I am impressed with the resourcefulness that brought it to heel well enough to do its job after all. Over the years I have been deeply impressed with NASA's and other space agency's abilities, when they find themselves, after many millions of dollars have been spent, suddenly in the role of a can-you-make-do-with-what-you've-got pioneer. (Part of the excellence of the movie "the Martian" is that it explored this very important topic ... and with a good deal of realism.) I had actually never heard much about Akatsuki until APOD brought us this hard-won image. (Thanks!)

[Chris Peterson]

Venus has been extremely neglected by human-made probes. Considering how close it is to us, and how similar it is to the Earth in size and mass, our lack of interest in our sister planet is even more remarkable. Rather than thinking of Venus as our sister planet, however, we seem to treat it as humanity's unpopular step sibling or step world, one we don't want to have much to do with.

It is very good that the Japanese probe Akastuki is studying it.

Of course, it's good to study anything. That said, Venus is much less a "sister planet" than Mars, despite being more physically similar in a very broad sense. And it's very difficult to study- so many modalities are ineffective from space, and landers or rovers are essentially impossible, outside of very brief, sacrificial missions. And dynamically, it's harder to get to the inner planets than the outer ones. So for all these reasons, it's pretty easy to see why the focus has been on Mars for understanding terrestrial planets, and of course on the gas giants for the rest.

[neufer]

dynamically, it's harder to get to the inner planets than the outer ones.

By my calculation,
the specific impulse necessary to get to Venus is only about 86% that needed to get to Mars.

And a manned flyby could do a round trip to Venus in just 0.80 years ( )
rather than a tedious 1.42 years for a round trip to Mars
(with lots more solar power for their creature comforts).

[Chris Peterson]

dynamically, it's harder to get to the inner planets than the outer ones.

By my calculation,
the specific impulse necessary to get to Venus is only about 86% that needed to get to Mars.

And a manned flyby could do a round trip to Venus in just 0.80 years ( :!: )
rather than a tedious 1.42 years for a round trip to Mars
(with lots more solar power for their creature comforts).

A manned flyby of Venus seems even more useless than a manned landing on Mars.

[heehaw]

"A manned flyby of Venus seems even more useless than a manned landing on Mars."
Ooh, let's get a human colony onto the surface of Venus! Somehow! And another bunch of pioneers onto the surface of Pluto!
Yes, all such things are goofy nonsense. And yet I hesitate: was having humans land on the Moon also goofy nonsense? It was a triumph!
How I wish I could know what will be happening, say, 100 years from now. Sigh!

[Fred the Cat]

dynamically, it's harder to get to the inner planets than the outer ones.

By my calculation,
the specific impulse necessary to get to Venus is only about 86% that needed to get to Mars.

And a manned flyby could do a round trip to Venus in just 0.80 years
rather than a tedious 1.42 years for a round trip to Mars
(with lots more solar power for their creature comforts).

A manned flyby of Venus seems even more useless than a manned landing on Mars.

I'd have to agree with you on that Chris. That would be a Venus "fly-by" money trap unless you're talking sci-fi Although a mission to Mars might some day make sense it should be many generations in the future. Like seeing images with your imagination.

Somethings people can't get out of their heads. Stretching it a bit one might make a shape out of clouds – even on Venus. Can't say it's better than the man in the moon bit at least one we are not trapped by one view. Imagine how many more you might see – floating in the clouds.

Venus certainly has "The Fire Down Below"