Planetary News: The Planetary Society (2007)
The Year in Pictures: 2006
By Emily Lakdawalla
January 2, 2007
Twelve of the pictures below are now available in The
Year in Pictures 2007 Calendar, produced by Eric Hartwell.
The year 2006 was an active one in planetary exploration. At Mars, 2006 began
with two rovers and three orbiters, and closed the same way
-- because the workhorse Mars Global Surveyor, after reaching its tenth year
in space, dropped silent, just as the lately arrived Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
began its science operations. Throughout the long Martian winter the Mars Exploration
Rover Opportunity journeyed south toward Victoria Crater, while Spirit stayed
mostly still at its winter haven.
Venus received its first visitor from Earth
in more than a decade, as Venus Express entered orbit and MESSENGER passed
on its first flyby. 2006 also saw the first samples ever returned from a comet
with the safe return of Stardust's sample capsule. Cassini completed 15 orbits
of Saturn and 11 flybys of Titan, discovered two new rings, and finally captured
images of Titan's elusive lakes. And, in a victory for the members of the public
who have long campaigned for it, a mission to Pluto was finally launched. Ironically,
the launch took place shortly before the nomenclatural demotion of Pluto from
"planet" to "dwarf planet."
These selected pictures hit just a few of the significant events of 2005.
You can begin
at the beginning or click on one of the thumbnails below.
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