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Collection:
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NASA Great Images in Nasa Collection
Collection
NASA Great Images in Nasa Collection
Collection
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Title:
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Miranda as seen by Voyager 2
Title
Miranda as seen by Voyager 2
Title
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Full Description:
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Flying by in early 1986, Voyager 2 captured this picture of Miranda, which enabled scientists to study this moon of Uranus in much greater detail than ever before. Discovered in 1948 by Gerard Peter Kuiper, Miranda is named for the daughter of the wily Prospero in Shakespeare's "The Tempest." It is the eleventh known satellite of Uranus and the innermost large moon of Uranus It was necessary that Voyager 2 passed by Miranda, not for scientific reasons, but simply for the gravity assist it needed to go on to Neptune. Due to the position of the entire Solar System, Miranda provided the energy to throw Voyager 2 to Neptune. Before Voyager, Miranda was largely ignored as it is not the largest moon and did not seem to have any other outstanding qualities. Fortunately, however, Voyager passed close enough to Miranda to provide scientists with fascinating photographs that captivated astronomers. About half ice and half rock, Miranda's surface has terraced layers that indicate both older and new surfaces coexisting. Since the mixing of ancient and recent surfaces is rare in planetary geology, scientists have postulated two explanations for the different ages of the numerous valleys and cliffs on Miranda. One theory is that Miranda could have shattered as many as five times and was then reassembled. Another hypothesis is that partly melted ice upwells forced new surfaces to emerge.
Full_Description
Flying by in early 1986, Voyager 2 captured this picture of Miranda, which enabled scientists to study this moon of Uranus in much greater detail than ever before. Discovered in 1948 by Gerard Peter Kuiper, Miranda is named for the daughter of the wily Prospero in Shakespeare's "The Tempest." It is the eleventh known satellite of Uranus and the innermost large moon of Uranus It was necessary that Voyager 2 passed by Miranda, not for scientific reasons, but simply for the gravity assist it needed to go on to Neptune. Due to the position of the entire Solar System, Miranda provided the energy to throw Voyager 2 to Neptune. Before Voyager, Miranda was largely ignored as it is not the largest moon and did not seem to have any other outstanding qualities. Fortunately, however, Voyager passed close enough to Miranda to provide scientists with fascinating photographs that captivated astronomers. About half ice and half rock, Miranda's surface has terraced layers that indicate both older and new surfaces coexisting. Since the mixing of ancient and recent surfaces is rare in planetary geology, scientists have postulated two explanations for the different ages of the numerous valleys and cliffs on Miranda. One theory is that Miranda could have shattered as many as five times and was then reassembled. Another hypothesis is that partly melted ice upwells forced new surfaces to emerge.
Full Description
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Date:
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01/25/1986
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NASA Center:
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA_Center
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA Center
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Subject Category:
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Voyager-Galileo
Subject_Category
Voyager-Galileo
Subject Category
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Subject Category:
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Uranus Moons
Subject_Category
Uranus Moons
Subject Category
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Keywords:
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Tour
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Keywords:
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Voyager
Keywords
Voyager
Keywords
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Keywords:
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Grand
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Keywords:
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Uranus
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Keywords:
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Miranda
Keywords
Miranda
Keywords
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Keywords:
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Kuiper
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Audience:
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General Public
Audience
General Public
Audience
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facet_what:
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Moon
facet_what
Moon
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Galileo
facet_what
Galileo
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Voyager
facet_what
Voyager
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Neptune
facet_what
Neptune
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Voyager 2
facet_what
Voyager 2
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Miranda
facet_what
Miranda
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Uranus
facet_what
Uranus
facet_what
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facet_where:
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Miranda
facet_where
Miranda
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Uranus
facet_where
Uranus
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
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facet_when:
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1948
facet_when
1948
facet_when
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facet_when:
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01-25-1986
facet_when
01-25-1986
facet_when
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facet_when_year:
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1948
facet_when_year
1948
facet_when_year
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facet_when_year:
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1986
facet_when_year
1986
facet_when_year
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Image #:
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PIA-01490
Image_#
PIA-01490
Image #
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original_url:
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original_url
original_url
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UID:
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SPD-GRIN-GPN-2003-00 0005
UID
SPD-GRIN-GPN-2003-00 0005
UID
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Center:
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JPL
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Center Number:
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PIA-01490
Center_Number
PIA-01490
Center Number
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GRIN DataBase Number:
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GPN-2003-000005
GRIN_DataBase_Number
GPN-2003-000005
GRIN DataBase Number
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Creator-Photographer:
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NASA
Creator-Photographer
NASA
Creator-Photographer
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Original Source:
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Digital
Original_Source
Digital
Original Source
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