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THE PLANETARY REPORT MARCH EQUINOX 2019 VOLUME 39, NUMBER 1 Planetary.Org THE PLANETARY REPORT MARCH EQUINOX 2019 VOLUME 39, NUMBER 1 planetary.org INSIDE THE ICE GIANTS AFTER VOYAGER, BOTH URANUS AND NEPTUNE HAVE CHANGED THEIR FACES THE SKIES OF MINI-NEPTUNES C CHANGE COMES TO WASHINGTON C PORTRAIT OF MU69 SNAPSHOTS FROM SPACE EMILY STEWART LAKDAWALLA is editor of The Planetary Report. IT’S ONE AMONG millions. Nothing special drew New Horizons to 2014 MU69 (nicknamed “Ultima Thule”), except that it was in the right place at the right time for the fast-flying spacecraft to zip past it. And yet, merely by visiting it, we made 2014 MU69 special, turning it from a dot in the sky so faint that it’s only visible to Hubble into the double-lobed world in this photo. New Horizons will spend another year returning all its data from the encounter, and scientists will spend years—perhaps decades—debating how this odd little binary thing formed and evolved. In the meantime, data artists like Thomas Appéré will help us imagine what 2014 MU69 would look like if we could only travel the NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI/Thomas Appéré NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI/Thomas more than 6 billion kilometers (4 billion miles) that separates Earth from it. —Emily Stewart Lakdawalla SEE MORE AMATEUR-PROCESSED SPACE IMAGES PLANETARY.ORG/AMATEUR SEE MORE EVERY DAY! PLANETARY.ORG/BLOGS 2 THE PLANETARY REPORT C MARCH EQUINOX 2019 CONTENTS MARCH EQUINOX 2019 ADVOCATING FOR SPACE Change Comes to Washington 6 Casey Dreier assesses the sea change brought about by midterm elections in the United States—and what it might mean for space-science policy. The Realm of the Ice Giants 7 Amy Simon offers a glimpse of the latest discoveries on Uranus and Neptune—and discusses what we still don’t know. A Kepler Orrery 12 Ethan Kruse provides a visual (and animated!) representation of the Kepler mission’s exoplanet discoveries. The Skies of Mini-Neptunes 14 Hannah Wakeford seeks to understand the natures of watery, gassy, cloudy, and rocky distant worlds. SOCIETY NEWS Up for a Challenge? 19 Richard Chute introduces the grand dames of planetary defense, and Kate Howells reports on volunteers’ work in Lebanon. DEVELOPMENTS IN SPACE SCIENCE Scientific Progress 20 Bruce Betts reports on Planetary Deep Drill progress, new efforts for planetary defense, and LightSail 2’s status. DEPARTMENTS 2 Snapshots From Space Emily Lakdawalla shares a vision of an unimaginably dark and distant world—one of millions. 4 Your Place in Space Bill Nye reveals our plans to make “Space for Everyone.” 22 What’s Up Three planets align in Earth’s skies as we move through the season. 22 Where We Are Emily Lakdawalla says goodbye to a Mars lander and hello to a lunar one. NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI/Thomas Appéré NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI/Thomas ON THE COVER: The moons Triton (right) and Proteus look down upon one of Neptune’s deep blue storms, a cloud whorl thousands of kilometers across. White clouds of methane ice crystals swirl above the maelstrom, drifting over sporadic lightning. Artist Michael Carroll painted this work in acrylic, and then added digital enhancements. Credit: Michael Carroll CONTACT US The Planetary Report (ISSN 0736-3680) is published quarterly at the Editor EMILY LAKDAWALLA The Planetary Society editorial offices of The Planetary Society, 60 South Los Robles Avenue, Art Director LOREN A. ROBERTS for HEARKEN CREATIVE 60 South Los Robles Avenue Pasadena, CA 91101-2016, 626-793-5100. It is available to members Copy Editors NICOLE YUGOVICH, KELLY BEATTY, Pasadena, CA 91101-2016 of The Planetary Society. Annual dues are $50 (U.S. dollars) for and JASON DAVIS General calls: 626-793-5100 members in the United States as well as in Canada and other countries. Technical Editor JAMES D. BURKE Email: [email protected] Printed in USA. Third-class postage at Pasadena, California and at an Science Editor BRUCE BETTS Internet: planetary.org additional mailing office. Canada Post Agreement Number 87424. Chief Operating Officer JENNIFER VAUGHN Viewpoints expressed in articles and editorials are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent positions of The Planetary Society, its officers, or its advisers. © 2019 by The Planetary Society. All Rights Reserved. The Planetary Society and The Planetary Report: Registered Trademarks ® The Planetary Society. Planetfest™ The Planetary Society. YOUR PLACE IN SPACE BILL NYE is chief executive officer of The Planetary Society. Space for Everyone What We Do—and What We Want to Do COFOUNDERS CARL SAGAN I DON’T KNOW 1934–1996 about you, but for me, the munities, crowdfund space technology, share BRUCE MURRAY last 5 years have flown by. Normally, I would space stories, help recruit new members, and 1931–2013 include a joke here about how the flying get involved in citizen science. Our mission is LOUIS D. FRIEDMAN Executive Director Emeritus would have been silent because we’re in outer to enable you to participate in the advance- BOARD OF DIRECTORS space, but actually, it’s been a bustling buzz ment of space exploration and science. With Chairman of the Board DANIEL T. GERACI here at The Planetary Society, which is still more members and more actions, The Plan- Managing Partner & Director, Cygnus Investment Partners, Inc. firmly on Earth. etary Society proves public support for space President JAMES BELL With these 5 years behind us, it was exploration. That proof helps fuel future Professor, School of Earth and Space Exploration, time to create another 5-year plan. We call exploration. Arizona State University it “Space for Everyone.” Check it out at I strongly believe that we are on the verge Vice President HEIDI HAMMEL planetary.org/spaceforeveryone. For me, the of finding life elsewhere. Such a discovery Executive Vice President, Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy key to our future is you. You are the doers. would be historic and on the scale of dis- Chief Executive Officer BILL NYE You are the people who will find life else- coveries made by people like Copernicus Science Educator Secretary where, protect Earth from an incoming and Galileo. It would be profound. It would C. WALLACE HOOSER Associate Professor of Radiology, massive asteroid or comet, and reach into change the way each of us feels about being University of Texas Southwestern Medical School outer space to explore other worlds. a living thing in the cosmos. This discovery Treasurer As I’m pretty sure you know, our staff—your will not be made by an individual but by a LON LEVIN President and CEO GEOshare LLC staff—has been helping us grow the organiza- species—our species—on its planetary home BETHANY EHLMANN tion by keeping you informed, responding world. By the way, the cost to any one of us Professor, California Institute of Technology; Research Scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory to your needs, and connecting more of the will be almost unnoticeable because plane- JOHN LOGSDON Professor Emeritus, Space Policy Institute, world’s citizens to the adventure of space tary exploration is an amazingly good bargain. The George Washington University exploration than ever before. Guided by our In many ways, the same is true with regard ROBERT PICARDO Actor last strategic plan, our membership—which to giving an incoming impactor a nudge to BRITNEY SCHMIDT Assistant Professor comprises people like you—grew more than save our world. It will be extraordinary and School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Georgia Institute of Technology 20 percent to 50,000. Together, we flew our inspirational for all humankind. BIJAL “BEE” THAKORE Regional Coordinator for Asia Pacific, LightSail 1 spacecraft. We are leaders in plane- As your CEO, it’s my job to make sure we Space Generation Advisory Council tary defense and solar sailing. We established put our time, our treasure, and especially our FILLMORE WOOD Vice President and Regional Counsel, international relationships and guided the staff’s remarkable talents to best use. I’ll do BP, retired ADVISORY COUNCIL creation of a Planetary Science Caucus in the my very best. So, watch this space for firm BUZZ ALDRIN ROBERT D. BRAUN U.S. Congress. Our presence in Washington, plans to connect more of you more strongly DAVID BRIN G. SCOTT HUBBARD D.C. is now full time. We hope to someday to outer space as we get this ball rolling or GARRY E. HUNT Doran NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Seán BRUCE JAKOSKY have a similar presence near the headquarters rocket nozzle thrusting. The Planetary Society RYAN JOHNSON CHARLES E. KOHLHASE JR. of every space agency in the world. has worked the last 39 years to make space an BEN LAMM LAURIE LESHIN With you in mind, we set some ambitious adventure to be shared by people all over this JON LOMBERG ROSALY LOPES BOB MCDONALD but achievable goals for the next 5 years. We planet. Thanks for your continued support. PETE SLOSBERG TIM SPAHR want to have 75,000 members who carry out Let’s go! DIPAK SRINIVASAN KEVIN STUBE 1 million actions for space by 2023. We want LORNE TROTTIER NEIL DeGRASSE TYSON you to sign petitions, volunteer in your com- 4 THE PLANETARY REPORT C MARCH EQUINOX 2019 Space for Everyone A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR THE PLANETARY SOCIETY Space for Everyone What We Do—and What We Want to Do Our new 5-year framework will guide decision making as we build on our past to create an inspiring future. Here are some examples: SUCCESS! GROWTH! The LightSail project sparked We will strengthen our the imaginations of millions of international presence as people and is propelling other advocates with the world’s space innovative space projects. We agencies and as a worldwide plan to build on this success network for space professionals and invest more in science and enthusiasts.
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