Cassini/Huygens Mission Update Thread

[alexblackwell]

<i>One thing I don't understand is why they even bother putting a coordinate grid over the picture. It's not as if you can make out even a single ground feature or interesting cloud. It's a uniform brown ball.</i><br /><br />This a rare example of someone who questions why NASA is providing <i>more</i> information in an image release. Usually, the opposite is true ;-)

 

[centsworth_II]

<i>"One thing I don't understand is why they even bother putting a coordinate grid over the picture."</i> -- Leovinus<br /><br /><i>"Without the coordinates I (and I think most people) would have assumed that the North pole was at the top."</i> -- mrmorris<br /><br />You're both right. The clearest information whould have been an arrow extended out of the north pole, representing the axis, labeled "north". To be honest, it didn't occur to me to look for the North pole in the image. But it does give some sense of satisfaction, some ingrained comfort, knowing where North is. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[odysseus145]

"Images like this one reveal some of the key steps in the formation and evolution of Titan's haze. The process is thought to begin in the high atmosphere, at altitudes above 400 kilometers (250 miles), where ultraviolet light breaks down methane and nitrogen molecules. The products are believed to react to form more complex organic molecules containing carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen that can combine to form the very small particles seen as haze. "<br /><br />http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2004-187 <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[Leovinus]

<i>The dark shadow of Saturn's southern hemisphere spreads across the planet's rings all the way to the Encke gap. Close inspection of the shadow's left-most extension reveals the penumbra, the blurry region in which ring features are only partially illuminated. A viewer within the penumbra would see the Sun partially eclipsed by Saturn.<br /><br />The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft narrow angle camera on June 21, 2004, from a distance of 6.3 million kilometers (3.9 million miles) from Saturn through a filter sensitive to visible green light. The image scale is 37 kilometers (23 miles) per pixel. </i> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[yg1968]

Why is there so many black and white pictures from the Cassini spacecraft?<br /><br />I have to say that I haven't been impressed by the pictures taken so far. Most of the pictures are similar to the Voyager pictures. <br /><br />The only picture that I found different was the one with the details of the Titan surface. However, given its low resolution, even that picture is somewhat disapointing. Hopefully, that picture will be re-taken at a higher resolution when Cassini is closer to Titan.<br /><br />I am looking forward to other pictures with more details and very importantly colour! Better pictures of Titan and colour pictures of the other moons would be nice.

 

[lunatic133]

Even in black and white, they have much sharper clarity than the Voyager pictures.

 

[bushuser]

I suspect someone is constructing a time-lapse movie of the rings, and that is one reason there are "so many black and white pictures."

 

[Leovinus]

<i>Two weeks after orbit insertion, Cassini glanced back at Saturn, taking in the entire planet and its expansive rings. Currently it is summer in Saturn's southern hemisphere. Notable here is the bright spot located near the planet's southern hemisphere, where the line from the day and night side of the planet meets. The angle of illumination hints at Saturn's tilt relative to the Sun.<br /><br />The image was taken in visible red light with the Cassini spacecraft wide angle camera on July 13, 2004, from a distance of about 5 million kilometers (3.1 million miles) from Saturn. The Sun-Saturn-spacecraft, or phase angle of this image is 95 degrees. The image scale is 299 kilometers (186 miles) per pixel. Contrast has been enhanced slightly to aid visibility. </i> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[remcook]

next briefing: 4 august, 10 am Pacific time <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[jcdenton]

Where do you get those pics from? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[remcook]

cassini home page<br /><br />http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.cfm<br /><br />ciclops<br /><br />http://ciclops.lpl.arizona.edu/ir_index_main.php

 

[jcdenton]

Alright thanks. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[Leovinus]

<i>This view of Saturn's icy moon Tethys shows a large crater with a central peak in the southern hemisphere. Other surface details of this heavily cratered surface are faintly visible. At the time this image was taken, Cassini was speeding away from the Saturn system on its initial long, looping orbit.<br /><br />The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow angle camera on July 13, 2004. Cassini was 4.8 million kilometers (3 million miles) from Tethys. Tethys, pronounced "TEE-thiss," has a diameter of 1,060 kilometers (659 miles). The Sun-Tethys-spacecraft, or phase angle of the images is 97 degrees. The image scale is 29 kilometers (18 miles) per pixel. The image has been magnified by a factor of two to aid visibility. </i> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[mooware]

There doesn't seem to be alot of chatter about the Cassini mission.. Or is it just me?<br /><br />

 

[spacechump]

Well it's in a trajectory right now that takes it pretty far away from Saturn right now as Cassini prepares for its first true flyby of Titan. The orbits will get more compact as it sheds more momentum and they tweak its orbits.

 

[remcook]

Of course, it's in orbit, so the frequency of new encounters, like flybys, is far less than for the Mars rovers. But if you imagine that a lot of missions rely on only one flyby, this is a real bonanza

 

[Leovinus]

After waiting 7 years, I think I can handle another few months. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[mooware]

I'm really looking forward to the Huygens probe. That should be really exciting!!<br />

 

[Leovinus]

<i>Saturn's southern polar region exhibits concentric rings of clouds which encircle a dark spot at the pole. To the north and toward the right, wavy patterns are evident, resulting from the atmosphere moving with different speeds at different latitudes.<br /><br />The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft narrow angle camera on July 13, 2004, from a distance of 5 million kilometers (3.1 million miles) from Saturn, through a filter sensitive to wavelengths of infrared light centered at 889 nanometers. The image scale is 29 kilometers (18 miles) per pixel. Contrast has been enhanced slightly to aid visibility. </i> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[fortytwo]

From: http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/operations/saturn-tour.cfm<br /><br />Cassini's landmark tour of Saturn begins July 1, 2004 UTC with the Saturn Orbit Insertion (SOI) engine burn. This burn will slow the spacecraft down, allowing it to be captured by Saturn's gravity. After the spacecraft is captured, it will begin a 4-year tour of scientific exploration of the ringed planet, its moons, and magnetosphere.<br /><br />The spacecraft will make 74 unique orbits around the planet, using 45 close flybys of Saturn's largest moon Titan for gravity assist and science data acquisition. Because of the sheer size of Titan, the flybys will allow for major changes in orbital paths, allowing engineers to minimize fuel use while maximizing science data collection.<br /><br />Cassini's tour of the Saturn system is divided into 6 different segments. Each segment contains many Saturn and Titan flybys as well as opportunities to study the different smaller satellites.<br /><br />Highlights of the Saturn Tour<br /><br />74 Orbits of Saturn <br />45 Close flybys of Titan <br />8 close "targeted" flybys of other satellites: <br />3 close flybys of Enceladus <br />Phoebe <br />Hyperion <br />Dione <br />Rhea <br />Iapetus <br />30 additional satellite flybys at distances less than 100,000 kilometers <br />(about 62,100 miles) <br />Many Saturn and Ring occultation opportunities <br />One "Titan 180 degree transfer <br />One high inclination sequence <br />

 

[Leovinus]

<i>Looking beyond Saturn's magnificent rings, Cassini caught a glimpse of the moon Mimas in orbit about the gas giant. Parts of Saturn's F and A rings are visible in the upper right corner. Here the thin F ring exhibits some of the complex structure for which it is well-known. Cassini was, at the time, speeding away from the Saturn system on its initial long, looping orbit. Mimas, pronounced "MY-muss," has a diameter of 398 kilometers (247 miles).<br /><br />The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow angle camera on July 13, 2004, from a distance of about 5.1 million kilometers (3.2 million miles) from Mimas. The Sun-Mimas-spacecraft, or phase angle of the image is 94 degrees. The image scale is 31 kilometers (19 miles) per pixel. Brightness has been enhanced slightly to aid visibility. </i> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[Leovinus]

<i>This artist concept shows how Cassini is able to detect radio signals from lightning on Saturn. Lightning strokes emit electromagnetic energy across a broad range of wavelengths, including the visual wavelengths we see and long radio wavelengths that cause static on an AM radio during a thunderstorm. Some of the radio waves propagate upwards and can be detected at long distances by the radio and plasma wave science instrument on Cassini.<br /><br />One barrier to the radio waves, however, is Saturn's ionosphere, a hot, ionized layer above the atmosphere that can block low frequency radio waves. The low frequency waves are either reflected or absorbed by the ionosphere. The higher frequency waves can pass right through the ionosphere, however, and subsequently be detected by Cassini. By measuring the lowest frequencies that can be detected by Cassini, scientists can determine the density of Saturn's ionosphere. </i> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[Leovinus]

<i>A frigid ball of gas in the blackness of space, Cassini's new home, Saturn, appears cool and serene in this natural color image. The spacecraft obtained this view as it sped outward from the planet on its initial orbit. At the left, Saturn's shadow stretches almost completely across the rings, while at the right, the planet's illuminated face appears to gaze down at the far-off Sun.<br /><br />Images taken through blue, green and red filters with the Cassini spacecraft wide angle camera were combined to create this view. The images were taken on July 17, 2004, from a distance of about 5.8 million kilometers (3.6 million miles) from Saturn. The Sun-Saturn-spacecraft, or phase angle of the image is 93 degrees. The image scale is 346 kilometers (215 miles) per pixel. </i> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[Leovinus]

<i>Details in Saturn's southern polar region highlight the often turbulent nature of the boundaries that separate the cloud bands on this swirling gaseous globe.<br /><br />This image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft narrow angle camera on July 13, 2004, from a distance of 5.1 million kilometers (3.2 million miles). The image was taken through a filter sensitive to wavelengths of infrared light centered at 889 nanometers. The image scale is 30 kilometers (19 miles) per pixel. Contrast has been enhanced slightly to aid visibility. </i> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[thechemist]

Saturn's Moon Titan: Planet Wannabe <br />Interview with Jonathan Lunine<br />by Henry Bortman <br />Astrobiology Magazine<br /><br /><font color="yellow">Summary: Jonathan Lunine, professor of planetary science and physics at the at the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory in Tucson, Arizona, has long been fascinated by Saturn's largest moon, Titan. Astrobiology Magazine's Managing Editor Henry Bortman spoke recently with Lunine about the Huygens mission. In this first part of the interview, Lunine explains what scientists hope to learn from Huygens. <br /><br /> </font><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>I feel better than James Brown.</em> </div>