{"id":5676,"date":"2018-12-20T09:51:01","date_gmt":"2018-12-20T14:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/?p=5676"},"modified":"2025-08-13T18:53:28","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T22:53:28","slug":"happy-new-year-from-ultima-thule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/2018\/12\/20\/happy-new-year-from-ultima-thule\/","title":{"rendered":"Happy New Year from Ultima Thule"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

On Jan. 1, 2019, NASA\u2019s New Horizons space probe will pass by Ultima Thule.\u00a0 Ultima Thule may sound like a robot from the Transformers movies, but in actuality, it is a Kuiper Belt asteroid orbiting the sun at a distance of four billion miles.\u00a0 What makes Ultima Thule so special is that it is the second member of the Kuiper Belt (the solar system\u2019s second asteroid belt) to be visited by the New Horizons space probe. \u00a0The first was the dwarf planet Pluto.<\/p>\n

New Horizons was launched toward Pluto on Jan. 19, 2006.\u00a0 The space probe was originally aimed toward Jupiter.\u00a0 While passing Jupiter, NASA performed a complicated maneuver known as a sling shot to increase the probe\u2019s speed and set it on a course toward Pluto.<\/p>\n

When New Horizons passed by Pluto in July of 2015, it sent back pictures showing Pluto as an object with a fractured crust, several moons and a thin atmosphere.\u00a0 Many of these objects were a surprise to astronomers.\u00a0 Perhaps the biggest surprise was a land feature that looked like a giant heart on Pluto.\u00a0 To view images from Pluto, please go to https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission_pages\/newhorizons\/images\/index.html<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Shortly after passing Pluto, the New Horizons probe\u2019s path was altered so that it would fly on to Ultima Thule.\u00a0 On Jan. 1, 2019, New Horizons will fly by Ultima Thule at a distance of 2,200 miles (3,500 km). \u00a0This pass by will be the most distant planetary flyby ever attempted.<\/p>\n

What will New Horizons see when it gets to Ultima Thule.\u00a0 To start with, it will see a double asteroid measuring about 18 miles across.\u00a0 At this time, NASA isn\u2019t sure if the probe will image two separate bodies orbiting very close together (a binary system) or two roundish bodies touching each other (a contact binary). Only time will tell.<\/p>\n

For more information about the New Horizons space probe, go to http:\/\/pluto.jhuapl.edu\/Mission\/The-New-Horizons-Mission.php<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For more information on the Ultima Thule fly by, go to http:\/\/pluto.jhuapl.edu\/Ultima\/Ultima-Thule.php<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

THE NIGHT SKY OVER AROOSTOOK COUNTY<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

All of the times and events listed below are from www.calsky.com.\u00a0 You may register at this site and load your location (anywhere in the world) to be able to get event information and times.\u00a0 The University of Maine at Presque Isle is located at 68d00m7.8s west longitude and 46d40m45.6s north latitude.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The International Space Station is visible as follows:<\/p>\n

Evenings \u2013 Nov. 23 to Dec. 15.<\/p>\n

Mornings \u2013 Dec. 22 to Jan. 14.<\/p>\n

Evening \u2013 Jan. 22 to Feb. 12.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

To get a free sky chart, go to www.skymaps.com.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sun and Planet Visibility<\/p>\n

12\/20\/2018<\/p>\n

07:12 Sunrise.<\/p>\n

15:46 Sunset.<\/p>\n

05:30 \u2013 07:00 Mercury.<\/p>\n

03:18 \u2013 07:12 Venus.<\/p>\n

16:24 \u2013 22:54 Mars.<\/p>\n

05:42 \u2013 07:00 Jupiter.<\/p>\n

16:24 \u2013 22:54 Saturn.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

01\/10\/2019<\/p>\n

07:14 Sunrise.<\/p>\n

156:04 Sunset.<\/p>\n

06:42 \u2013 07:00 Mercury.<\/p>\n

03:18 \u2013 07:12 Venus.<\/p>\n

16:36 \u2013 22:48 Mars.<\/p>\n

04:42 \u2013 07:00 Jupiter.<\/p>\n

Not visible Saturn.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

12\/13 17:00 \u2013 03:12 Comet Wirtanen visible, 4.6 mag.<\/p>\n

12\/14 02:00 Geminid Meteor Shower \u2013 48 meteors per hour.<\/p>\n

12\/14 05:00 Geminid Meteor Shower Maximum \u2013 50 meteors per hour.<\/p>\n

12\/14 22:18 Moon 3.5 degrees from Mars.<\/p>\n

12\/14 17:00 \u2013 03:54 Comet Wirtanen visible, 4.6 mg.<\/p>\n

12\/15 17:00 \u2013 03:54 Comet 46P\/Wirtanen at its brightest 4.6 mag.<\/p>\n

12\/15 02:00 Geminid Meteor Shower \u2013 10.7 meteors per hour.<\/p>\n

12\/15 06:30 Mercury at greatest western elongation (21.3 degrees), visible in the morning sky.<\/p>\n

12\/15 06:49 First Quarter Moon.<\/p>\n

12\/15 17:00 \u2013 03:54 Comet Wirtanen visible, 4.6 mag.<\/p>\n

12\/16 08:06 Comet 46P\/Wirtanen closest to the Earth (7,157.597 miles, 11,519,036 km).<\/p>\n

12\/16 17:00 \u2013 04:18 Comet Wirtanen visible, 4.6 mag.<\/p>\n

12\/17 17:00 \u2013 04:42 Comet Wirtanen visible, 4.7 mag.<\/p>\n

12\/18 17:00 \u2013 05:01 Comet Wirtanen visible, 4.7 mag.<\/p>\n

12\/19 17:00 \u2013 05:30 Comet Wirtanen visible, 4.8 mag.<\/p>\n

12\/20 17:00 \u2013 05:54 Comet Wirtanen visible, 4.8 mag.<\/p>\n

12\/21 14:53 Mercury 0.9 degrees from Jupiter.<\/p>\n

12\/21 17:00 \u2013 06:00 Comet Wirtanen visible, 4.9 mag.<\/p>\n

12\/22 12:48 Full Moon.<\/p>\n

12\/22 17:00 \u2013 06:00 Comet Wirtanen visible, 5.0 mag.<\/p>\n

12\/23 17:00 \u2013 06:00 Comet Wirtanen visible, 5.1 mag.<\/p>\n

12\/24 04:56 Moon at Perigee \u2013 closest to the Earth (224,344 miles, 361,047 km).<\/p>\n

12\/24 17:00 \u2013 06:00 Comet Wirtanen visible, 5.2 mag.<\/p>\n

12\/25 17:24 \u2013 05:42 Comet Wirtanen visible, 5.3 mag.<\/p>\n

12\/26 11:42 Venus at Perihelion \u2013 closest to the sun (66,888,748, miles, 107,486,070 km).<\/p>\n

12\/26 17:24 \u2013 05:42 Comet Wirtanen visible, 5.4 mag.<\/p>\n

12\/27 17:24 \u2013 05:42 Comet Wirtanen visible, 5.5 mag.<\/p>\n

12\/28 17:24 \u2013 05:42 Comet Wirtanen visible, 5.7 mag.<\/p>\n

12\/29 04:34 Last Quarter Moon.<\/p>\n

12\/29 06:04 ISS passes 0.02 degrees from Alpha Gemini (Caster).<\/p>\n

12\/29 17:24 \u2013 05:42 Comet Wirtanen visible, 5.8 mag.<\/p>\n

12\/30 17:24 \u2013 05:42 Comet Wirtanen visible, 5.9 mag.<\/p>\n

12\/31 17:24 \u2013 05:42 Comet Wirtanen visible, 6.0 mag.<\/p>\n

01\/01 06:40 ISS passes 0.2 degrees from Alpha Cygnus (Deneb).<\/p>\n

01\/01 07:18 Moon 4.7 degrees from Venus.<\/p>\n

01\/01 17:30 \u2013 05:42 Comet Wirtanen visible, 6.2 mag.<\/p>\n

01\/02 01:00 Saturn 0.5 degrees from the sun \u2013 conjunction.<\/p>\n

01\/02 07:16 Latest sunrise of the year.<\/p>\n

01\/02 17:30 \u2013 05:42 Comet Wirtanen visible, 6.3 mag.<\/p>\n

01\/03 Earth at perihelion \u2013 closest to the sun (91,403,446 miles, 140,099,586 km).<\/p>\n

01\/03 Moon 2.9 degrees from Jupiter.<\/p>\n

01\/03 17:30 \u2013 05:42 Comet Wirtanen visible, 6.4 mag.<\/p>\n

01\/03 06:00 Quadrantid meteor shower \u2013 5.4 meteor\/hour.<\/p>\n

01\/04 06:00 Quadrantid meteor shower \u2013 14.8 meteor\/hour.<\/p>\n

01\/04 07:06 Moon 3.0 degrees from Mercury.<\/p>\n

01\/04 17:30 \u2013 05:42 Comet Wirtanen visible, 6.5 mag.<\/p>\n

01\/05 14:30 Venus at half phase.<\/p>\n

01\/05 17:30 \u2013 05:42 Comet Wirtanen visible, 6.7 mag.<\/p>\n

01\/05 20:28 New Moon.<\/p>\n

01\/05 23:54 Venus at greatest western elongation (47 degrees), morning sky.<\/p>\n

01\/06 05:31 ISS passes 1.1 degrees from Alpha Lyra (Vega).<\/p>\n

01\/06 17:30 \u2013 05:42 Comet Wirtanen visible, 6.8 mag.<\/p>\n

01\/08 23:39 Moon at apogee \u2013 farthest from the Earth (252,364 miles 406,140 km).<\/p>\n

01\/09 06:06 ISS passes 0.4 degrees from Alpha Virgo (Spica).<\/p>\n

01\/12 03:24 Mercury at aphelion \u2013 farthest from the sun (43,385,475 miles, 69,817,326 km).<\/p>\n

01\/13 08:31 Mercury 1.7 degrees from Saturn.<\/p>\n

01\/14 01:45 First Quarter Moon.<\/p>\n

01\/20 22:33 Partial lunar eclipse begins.<\/p>\n

01\/20 23:40 Lunar eclipse totality begins<\/p>\n

01\/21 00:12 Lunar eclipse greatest point.<\/p>\n

01\/21 00:16 Full Moon.<\/p>\n

01\/21 00:43 Totality ends.<\/p>\n

01\/21 01:51 Partial lunar eclipse ends.<\/p>\n

01\/21 15:06 Moon at Perigee \u2013 closest to the Earth (222,039 miles, 357,337 km).<\/p>\n

01\/22 07:26 Venus 2.4 degrees from Jupiter.<\/p>\n

01\/24 17:40 ISS passes 0.1 degrees from Alpha Orion (Betelgeuse).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On Jan. 1, 2019, NASA\u2019s New Horizons space probe will pass by Ultima Thule.\u00a0 Ultima Thule may sound like a robot from the Transformers movies, but in actuality, it is a Kuiper Belt asteroid orbiting the sun at a distance of four billion miles.\u00a0 What makes Ultima Thule so special is that it is the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":96,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7381],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-archives","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5676","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/96"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5676"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5676\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8549,"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5676\/revisions\/8549"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.umpi.edu\/utimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}