Cassini-Huygens - Cassini-Huygens Discussion

Palomar · 2004-08-12 19:55:15

http://www.universetoday.com/am/publish … 4]Hyperion

*Best pic via Cassini yet. 165 miles in diameter. Pic taken July 15 at a distance of 4.1 million miles. Says this little moon is irregularly shaped, has a "long, looping" orbit and tumbles erratically.

Cassini will fly by 26 September 2005. :up:

I wonder how many "Cassini-Huygens" threads we'll have gone through by then?

--Cindy

atitarev · 2004-08-12 21:01:14

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.htm … 4713]Titan: Two separate haze layers
*Interesting. From data obtained during Cassini's first flyby on July 3. Is one of the mysteries of Titan scientists hope to solve.
::EDIT:: "Above the orange disc are two distinct layers of atmospheric haze that have been brightened and falsely colored violet to enhance their visibility. It is not currently understood why there are two separate haze layers. This and other questions await answers as the four-year Cassini tour continues, with many more planned flybys of Titan. --->The upcoming October 2004 flyby of Titan will be 30 times closer than that of July 2.<---[!!]"
--Cindy

I can't wait when we get a clear image of the topography/surface of Titan. I read NASA was going to - the same way it was done for Venus. Not sure when, though.

remcook · 2004-08-13 02:28:23

Cassini is going to use the RADAR on the next flyby, 26 october.

BTW: that flyby will be from a stunning 1200 km (compare with > 300 000 km last time)

do you have the patience? i'm not sure about myself.

Palomar · 2004-08-13 05:44:58

Cassini is going to use the RADAR on the next flyby, 26 october.
BTW: that flyby will be from a stunning 1200 km (compare with > 300 000 km last time)
do you have the patience? i'm not sure about myself.

*It's only 2 months from now.

That's much better than other fly-bys we're waiting for...in a year's time. :;):

And only 4 months to go until Huygens separates from Cassini! Yippee!

--Cindy

atitarev · 2004-08-13 06:24:58

Thanks for the info, guys. I am not sure about myself either. Well, 2 and 4 months is definitely better than the next Moon and Mercury flybys.

Palomar · 2004-08-16 18:49:48

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.htm … 27]Cassini discovers 2 new Saturnian moons!

*They're tiny! Way to go, Dr. Charnoz!

"The moons are approximately 3 kilometers (2 miles) and 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) across -- smaller than Boulder, Colo. The moons, located 194,000 kilometers (120,000 miles) and 211,000 kilometers (131,000 miles) from the planet's center, are between the orbits of Mimas and Enceladus. They are provisionally named S/2004 S1 and S/2004 S2. One of them, S/2004 S1, may be an object that had been spied in a single image taken by NASA's Voyager spacecraft 23 years ago, S/1981 S14, but was unconfirmed until now..."

--Cindy :up:

SBird · 2004-08-18 03:32:57

I didn't see any mention of this already so I'll pull up some old but interesting news. I was watchin NASA TV earlier tonight and there were two interesting things mentioned. One was that the brighter rings are of much higher purity ice that previously though, being at least 99% pure.

The other was some sort of large anamalous event that released a cloud of atomic oxygen about 3-4 planetary radii out from Saturn in January. Unfortunately, the event occurred while CAssini was too far away to see what triggered it. However, whatevey it was, it was big. The total mass of oxygen released is estimated to be as much as the entire micron particle mass of the E ring or about 100 millions tons of material. The lead scientist speaking on the matter had no suggestions as to how such a large amount of gas could have been generated in such a short period of time. (it appears to ahve been generated in a month or shorter time scale)

Palomar · 2004-08-18 07:14:58

I didn't see any mention of this already so I'll pull up some old but interesting news. I was watching NASA TV earlier tonight and there were two interesting things mentioned. One was that the brighter rings are of much higher purity ice that previously though, being at least 99% pure.

*Yep.

The other was some sort of large anamalous event that released a cloud of atomic oxygen about 3-4 planetary radii out from Saturn in January. Unfortunately, the event occurred while CAssini was too far away to see what triggered it. However, whatevey it was, it was big. The total mass of oxygen released is estimated to be as much as the entire micron particle mass of the E ring or about 100 millions tons of material.

*Wow, I missed that news...somehow. I comb at least half a dozen science sites every day. :hm: I've not seen any follow-up type stories about it either, no reference. :hm: I'm going to Google, see if I can find an article. Cassini's going to be there for years; what are the chances a similar event will occur again?

--Cindy

Palomar · 2004-08-23 07:49:19

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/m … 23.html]As Cassini zipped past Jupiter...

*Article discusses continuing "puzzles" at Jupiter regarding the aftermath of the 1994 Shoemaker-Levy comet collision into Jupiter.

The article is based on infrared data obtained from Cassini as it swept past Jupiter in 2000 and 2001. :up:

Does it seem press releases about Cassini-Huygens is slowing down?

--Cindy

Palomar · 2004-08-23 20:31:40

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.htm … 56]Cassini completes 3rd and final (planned) pressurized burn;

...a 51-minute burn which sets it up for the 4-year tour. Its distance from Saturn's center is about 5.6 million miles. Cassini is nearing its 1st and largest orbit around Saturn (and next closest at 186,000 miles). Immediately prior to the burn it was traveling along at 727 mph (compared to a speed of 67,000 mph upon completion of the OI burn on June 30).

"The maneuver was necessary to keep the spacecraft from passing through the rings and to put it on target for its first close encounter with Saturn's moon Titan on Oct. 26."

Discusses schedule for Titan.

--Cindy :up:

Palomar · 2004-08-28 20:52:37

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/cassini/0 … ]Streaking away from Dione

*Reporting sure is getting scarce on C-H, it seems. I just now found this item, a bit buried in the spaceflightnow.com home page. I check at least 7 astronomy sources daily; this is the first mention I've seen.

C'mon, folks in charge. Don't get miserly or cop out on us!!! :bars:

Anyway -- can see a fuzzy extension of a "wisp" towards the upper portion.

--Cindy

Palomar · 2004-08-29 09:45:53

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/cassini/0 … html]South polar storms

*Bright oval. Cassini 4.2 million miles from Saturn.

--Cindy

Palomar · 2004-08-29 21:15:22

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/cassini/0 … html]Moons, golden rings, etc.

*Found this triple image article at spaceflightnow.com (once again, the "regular" astronomy sites didn't run these pics! Shame on them.). I especially enjoy photos like the first one. Imagine -that- looming above you. And I still can't get over (probably never will) how the planet completely overwhelms Cassini's cameras from yet still MILLIONS of miles away. :-\ Trying to comprehend the actual size is mind boggling.

Amazing too are the soft muted tones of peach-tan-yellow comprising Saturn's globe. A merry mix of hues indeed.

--Cindy

::EDIT:: Here's a http://www.spacedaily.com/news/cassini- … l]recently released pic of Rhea. It was taken July 20. Apparently it's been posted particularly because of this item: "There is a noticeable brightening near the left limb of the icy moon." On July 7 I posted http://www.saturntoday.com/news/viewsr. … 13293]this much closer pic of Rhea; it was taken 18 days earlier, on July 2.

Gennaro · 2004-08-30 05:19:00

I agree. Those Saturn images appear unreal. Almost painted.

Palomar · 2004-09-02 05:14:07

http://www.saturntoday.com/news/viewsr. … 39]Iapetus again

*Light and dark. Looks like a wafer dipped in chocolate. :;):

--Cindy

Palomar · 2004-09-02 20:18:43

Saturns]http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=14942]Saturn's Cool Rings

*"The Cassini spacecraft has taken the most detailed temperature measurements to date of Saturn's rings. Data taken by the composite infrared spectrometer instrument on the spacecraft while entering Saturn's orbit show the cool and relatively warm regions of the rings..."

Data taken 1 July 2004, shortly after orbital insertion.

[Good news, beach lovers: "Relatively warm" on the unlit side of Saturn's rings is
-261 F!] :;):

--Cindy

REB · 2004-09-03 06:34:58

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/gs2. … age]Saturn goes psychedelic.

Wouldn't that be cool if this was the true color of the rings?

I have seen the rings through my scope and they are wonderful as they are, but still...

Palomar · 2004-09-03 07:19:21

Wouldn't that be cool if this was the true color of the rings?

*That would be quite a view for sure. In my imagination, Saturn's globe would then have to be covered with a delicate pattern of golden paisley.

(But I prefer the rings as they are naturally)

My 'scope is a bit on the small side. Saturn's rings always pretty in them, though -- especially when they're tilted at broadly as possible toward us.

It'd be awesome to be there with Cassini, watching the Sunlight playing on the rings from various angles; and if one could see a "time-lapse" sort of effect of how the rings change in appearance (shadowing effects and etc.) during tilting. Impossible (for now anyway), but what a show that would be.

--Cindy

Palomar · 2004-09-09 06:49:26

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/gs2. … =image]New object found in the F ring :up:

*They're designating it "S/2004 S 3" for now. Not sure if it's an actual moon or a "clump" or what. Rings overexposed in pic to bring out the object. It orbits Saturn from a distance of 86,420 miles.

--Cindy

::EDIT:: http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA06113]New Ring: The Atlas Ring

*Is located between the edge of the A ring and the F ring. Is within the orbit of the moon Atlas; thus the name, apparently.

Palomar · 2004-09-10 08:58:21

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/gs2. … =image]Now this I'd like to have seen in color

*Still 5.2 million miles away. Unbelievable. Swirls and eddies in the cloud bands. Oval-shaped storm.

--Cindy

::EDIT:: http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/gs2. … mage]Found this yesterday...and intended to share it with my next (this) post. Graphs which illustrate temperatures and wind strength above Saturn.

::2nd EDIT:: Am combing through the raw images. http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/i … 18355]What an angle! Swirls and Rings. Taken just 2 days ago...

Palomar · 2004-09-11 14:33:38

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/gs2. … =image]New object found in the F ring :up:
*They're designating it "S/2004 S 3" for now. Not sure if it's an actual moon or a "clump" or what.

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press-r … Wow...news developing rapidly

...now they're wondering about the possibility of *2* new objects in the F ring:

"The object has been provisionally named S/2004 S3. Scientists are not sure if the object is alone..."

--Cindy

Shaun Barrett · 2004-09-11 18:05:55

Those rings and the associated small shepherding moonlets are just endlessly complex!

I think Cassini could be there for forty years, never mind four, and still not resolve all the mysteries. I suppose it's heresy to say this but the rings of Saturn have never really grabbed me all that much, beautiful though they are. I've always been more interested in the many moons - especially Titan, of course.

Palomar · 2004-09-11 21:12:33

Those rings and the associated small shepherding moonlets are just endlessly complex!
I think Cassini could be there for forty years, never mind four, and still not resolve all the mysteries. I suppose it's heresy to say this but the rings of Saturn have never really grabbed me all that much, beautiful though they are. I've always been more interested in the many moons - especially Titan, of course.

*I agree (except about the rings). Hopefully they can extend the mission beyond 4 years; I read somewhere that perhaps as much as 6 years is possible.

Besides those lucious rings and the moons, I also enjoy reading about the clouds, weather and wind speeds (1100 mph at the equator!). Would like to see some pics of lightning in those clouds.

Huygens separation from Cassini is just a few months away now. I expect the sequel threads to this one will be ripped through as swiftly as those equatorial Saturnian winds! :laugh:

Hmmm...just found an interesting "factoid": 1 percentage of time Cassini's engines will burn during the mission. The other 99 percent is all cruising.

--Cindy

::EDIT::

http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect … ngs.html]A goodie from Voyager I: "Spokes" in the rings! 3rd (and moving) image from the top. Includes paragraph of info.

Now that is fabulous.

djellison · 2004-09-13 03:25:53

I've heard of extensions that would run into the next decade as part of super-extended missions

Doug

Palomar · 2004-09-13 16:40:47

I've heard of extensions that would run into the next decade as part of super-extended missions
Doug

:up:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassi … ml]Stately Saturn & Five Moons

*Dione, Enceladus, Tethys, Mimas and Rhea.

Pic taken on 1 August 2004, 4.8 million miles distance, wide-angle camera.

It's always a joy to see that oh-so-black shadow of Saturn's globe seeming to bite into the rings, and the curve of the globe visible *through* the rings.

::Also::

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.htm … 48]Cassini Significant Events (near future)

*Probe in excellent health.

"Last week Cassini passed apoapsis, the farthest point from Saturn in its orbit, and in this case, in the entire tour. It also marked the transition between Rev 0 and Rev A - Rev being another term for orbit and --->marks the start of Cassini's approach to Titan for the Titan-a encounter in October<---. At its present position, Cassini is outside Saturn's magnetosphere. From this vantage point the Magnetospheric and Plasma Science (MAPS) instruments continued their campaign to study the influence of the solar wind on Saturn's aurora. The combination of this large distance and the quality of the imaging subsystem allows --->an opportunity to obtain mosaics and movies over large areas that will be used to study storms and dynamics in Saturn's atmosphere.<---

This week the optical remote sensing (ORS) instruments scanned Saturn's south pole, obtained ultraviolet mosaics of Saturn's magnetosphere, and observed Saturn's aurora. The imaging cameras obtained mosaics and movies of the rings and Saturn's south pole, and the Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument (MIMI) imaged the magnetosphere and observed the solar wind and pickup ions..."

*More info too!

--Cindy

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