Pluto's atmosphere

[mt_sabao]

Hi all,
This is my first (decent and finished) terragen2 image.
It was made to go together with a press release of a science discovery made with ESO (european southern observatory) telescopes.



the press release:

Using ESO's Very Large Telescope, astronomers have gained valuable new insights about the atmosphere of the dwarf planet Pluto. The scientists found unexpectedly large amounts of methane in the atmosphere, and also discovered that the atmosphere is hotter than the surface by about 40 degrees, although it still only reaches a frigid minus 180 degrees Celsius. These properties of Pluto's atmosphere may be due to the presence of pure methane patches or of a methane-rich layer covering the dwarf planet's surface.

Read more in ESO 08/09 at
http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/press-rel/pr-2009/pr-08-09.html

Fullres image http://www.eso.org/~lcalcada/pluto/pluto.jpg

I'm quite happy to see how terragen grew in these last months. It's great to see as it's approaching final release that's it's ready to use in real world projects in a humanly affordable time.
Cheers

[mt_sabao]

out of curiosity, this is not a straight TG2 render. It has some photoshop work (levels adjustment, layer doubling for glow, color adjustment etc)

[Hannes]

This is really amazing. I like the surface details. Thumbs up!!

[mt_sabao]

This is really amazing. I like the surface details. Thumbs up!!

Thanks hannes! But i still have a lot to learn, I'm basically two years behind most of you guys,  so lot's of catching up to do! but i'm super excited, this program is going to pwn!

FACT:
The atmospheric pressure on Pluto is only about one hundred thousandth of that on Earth, or about 0.015 millibars.

[Seth]

excellent render !

[rcallicotte]

Very good.  I'd ask for more color on the planet, but there isn't any.  Is there? 

[mt_sabao]

Very good.  I'd ask for more color on the planet, but there isn't any.  Is there? 

well, no unfortunately no colors allowed. from the very little we know from the (dwarf) planet it's safest to assume grayish tones.

[efflux]

Very good surface and very realistically moonlike.

[Seth]

don't want to be an a**hole but Pluto is not a planet ^^
well not anymore...

[mt_sabao]

don't want to be an a**hole but Pluto is not a planet ^^
well not anymore...

I did say dwarf planet, didn't I?  That's the astronomically correct designation 

[Seth]

uh ?!
i thought the official designation was plutoïd...
sorry then ^^

[Cyber-Angel]

Seth is right the correct designation for Pluto is plutoid, as defined by the International Astronomical Union that are designated as a sub-category of dwarf planets.

Regards to you.

Cyber-Angel    

[mt_sabao]

Seth is right the correct designation for Pluto is plutoid, as defined by the International Astronomical Union that are designated as a sub-category of dwarf planets.

Regards to you.

Cyber-Angel    

pluto is a plutoid. Plutoids are Dwarf Planets. Pluto is dwarf planet.

Syllogisms 101

Using ESO's Very Large Telescope, astronomers have gained valuable new insights about the atmosphere of the dwarf planet Pluto

http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/press-rel/pr-2009/pr-08-09.html

they might as well leave pluto as a planet and save us the complications

[Seth]

yeaaah ^^
anyway, your render's good, man !

[Cyber-Angel]

Yes well, I happen to know what Pluto is and is not thank you I've only been interested in space 30+ years for what its worth, any way good image. End of Line.

Regards to you.

Cyber-Angel