Titan Radar images from the Cassini Spacecraft.

[3488]

Titan. <br /><br />More dry channels emptying out onto a dry lake bed???<br /><br />This is near the equator. Further evidence perhaps, that Methane lakes once<br />existed in Titan's tropics???<br /><br />Perhaps Titan was colder in the past????<br /><br />NASA / JPL. <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

In one of those cosmic humor moments, that very episode of the Twilight Zone is running right now on SciFi channel here in the US (3-3:30 PM EDT) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[h2ouniverse]

At EGU this year there was a paper showing strong indication for cyclical activity with large areas on Equator that should be covered with liquid methane, or receive abundant methane rain. <br />There would be alternance of [dry equator + wet poles] / [wet equator/dry poles].<br /><br />Regards.

 

[PistolPete]

I can't wait for a map based on these images to come out. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em>So, again we are defeated. This victory belongs to the farmers, not us.</em></p><p><strong>-Kambei Shimada from the movie Seven Samurai</strong></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Hi PistolPete.<br /><br />I hope so too.<br /><br />That would put all of these features in a global context with one another. <br />I have tried to roughly explain were they are, but that is no way a substitute for<br />seeing them on a map.<br /><br />I have been having technical hassles again, but when up & running again, I will do some more.<br /><br />This is a great thing to do & not only that, I am learning more as I go along.<br /><br />Thanks Joel,<br /><br />A cyclical variation of the movement of liquid hydrocarbons would make sense.<br /><br />Do you think that if liquid methane exited in the tropics, would methane snow, <br />icecaps & methane glaciers form at the higher latitudes??<br /><br />Or do you think that Titan has rolled over, like Enceladus & Dione??<br />Just a thought.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[anthmartian]

I would very much like to get a cylindrical map of Cassini Titan data into my 3d software on a sphere, and experiment with it. <br /><br />I do have a low res Titan map from Cassini, but would really be interested in one made from the high res radar strips.<br /><br />I would not know where to start on such a map, but, if anybody does please post here to say you're working on one! There is one at the photo planetary journal, but for some reason the strips are pixelated and low quality. It's also quite old now, 2006.<br /><br />If i was working on such a map, i would begin a photoshop project, that way you could just add the new strips as they are released without starting over.<br /><br />So, if anybody is reading and feeling like it might be a good project, if you do the map, i'll happily produce a 3d animation from it. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />thanks Andrew for another superb topic. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em>"Traveling through hyperspace ain't like dusting crops, boy! Without precise calculations we could fly right through a star, or bounce too close to a supernova and that'd end your trip real quick, wouldn't it?"</em></font></p><p><font color="#33cccc"><strong>Han Solo - 1977 - A long time ago in a galaxy far far away....</strong></font></p><p><br /><br />Click Here And jump over to my site.<br /></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Thanks for your kind comments Anthmartian.<br /><br />I love doing this thread, as I get learn & see more things myself.<br /><br />Titan.<br /><br />Many dry channels & perhaps dried methane springs??<br /><br />NASA / JPL.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Titan.<br /><br />Region showing giant hydrocarbon rich ice dunes, ice hills / mounds & what may be<br />liquid methane springs.<br /><br />There appear to be dry springs.<br /><br />This area is close to the equator, in the Titan tropics.<br /><br />NASA / JPL. <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Enlargement of portion of image showing impact crater with a mathane lake & an icy ejecta<br />blanket, in the darkness of a north Winter polar night.<br /><br />NASA / JPL. <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[lampblack]

<font color="yellow">At minus 180 Celsius / 93 Kelvin, a pretty cold one too.</font><br /><br />Wow... methane lakes... that'd be chilly even for the burliest polar bear.<br /><br />I'm just sitting here -- trying to get comfortable with the whole notion of huge lakes of methane. Wow! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#0000ff"><strong>Just tell the truth and let the chips fall...</strong></font> </div>

 

[robnissen]

<font color="yellow">If you are not careful, perhaps I could bore SDC members with an Io thread, loads of <br />Voyager, Galileo & New Horizons images. </font><br /><br />I can assure you, that at the very least, you would not bore me. I love the picture threads you create, although I must say that this one is my personal favorite. If your willing to put forward the massive time commitment to track down pictures of IO, I can assure you that I will put forth the minimal time commitment to enjoy them.

 

[3488]

Hi lampblack,<br /><br />I can just imagine it now. Some point maybe later this century or next century, an astronaut<br />suited up, with very thick soled insulated boots,<br />gazing out over the methane lake <br />from the icy shoreline.<br /><br />He / She, slowly walks, being careful, not to fall over on the rough ice surface. <br />The sky a very dull dark orange, but hardly a breeze, & the lake is mill pond smooth.<br /><br />The astronaut checks the display on the left arm, & the temperature is minus 181 Celsius / 92 Kelvin,<br />one degree colder than <br />the Huygens landing site, way back in the good old days of 2005.<br /><br />This astronaut's great gran mother still remembers that as if it was yesterday.<br /><br />The astronaut turns around, & a landscape of smooth ice hills, is visible. The nearest one is<br />about 1 KM away. The lander is just visible near the base of the closest one.<br /><br />A small Titanquake, shakes the landscape & small ripples race out across the methane lake<br />the first ever waves seen by human eyes on another world.<br /><br />The astronaut looks at the display on the arm again, & the temperature has dropped to <br />minus 182 Celsius / 90 Kelvin, & a slight drizzle of liquid Methane is just starting.<br /><br />It is still getting slightly colder & at minus 182.5 celsius, the methane drizzle turns <br />to methane snow.<br /><br />Back inside the lander, the astronaut flicks a red lever & pushes a big red button,<br />following a short countdown, the ascent engine roars to life & the craft <br />accelerates into the haze layer.<br /><br />Shortly the craft is in orbit around Titan, & the rings of Saturn appear razor sharp thin, <br />rising first,<br />than the yellowish gibbous globe itself rises above the orange curved horizon of Titan.<br /><br />There is an alarm, beep, beep, beep, something is wrong, in orbit around Titan, <br />then the next thing I find is myself dribbling on the pillow & the damn alarm <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[anthmartian]

Wonderful image. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />I was just getting into that story! Too bad there is no more of it. lol<br /><br />Reminded me of possibly one of my favourite novels of all time. "Titan" by Stephan Baxter. You should give it a read Andrew. Baxter has a great scientific mind and he's an excellent author. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em>"Traveling through hyperspace ain't like dusting crops, boy! Without precise calculations we could fly right through a star, or bounce too close to a supernova and that'd end your trip real quick, wouldn't it?"</em></font></p><p><font color="#33cccc"><strong>Han Solo - 1977 - A long time ago in a galaxy far far away....</strong></font></p><p><br /><br />Click Here And jump over to my site.<br /></p> </div>

 

[h2ouniverse]

Fantastic image.<br />In reaction to this orange haze, may I dare playing with "over the rainbow":<br />***********************<br />Far far over our rainbows<br />Way out high<br />There's a world that I only saw<br />Through a small window <br /><br />Somewhere near Saturn’s bows<br />Skies are orange<br />And the dreams that you dare to dream<br />Come within range<br /><br />Some day I'll wish upon a probe<br />And wake up where the clouds are all around<br />Where methane rains like orange drops<br />In thousand lakes on the moon tops<br />That's where you'll find my mind <br /><br />In the orange of the rainbow<br />Balloons can fly<br />Balloons can fly in a row<br />Why then asking why?<br /><br />Some day I'll wish upon a nave<br />And wake up where the clouds are far above<br />Where doubts melt like oily drops<br />Into ice volcanoes chimney tops <br />That's where you'll find my hopes <br /><br />Somewhere under the thick ice jaw<br />New whales may swim<br />Whales swimming under Titan’s toe<br />Why then, oh why can't I dream? <br />If balloons can fly in the orange sky<br />In the orange stripe of the rainbow<br />How, oh how can I?<br />

 

[JonClarke]

Nice work Andrew! You should try writing for the media.<br /><br />Titan is the only other body in the solar system we would walk round without a space suit on. You would need some warm and heated clothing of course, and helmet.<br /><br />Because oxygen is liquid at those temperatures your breathing gas supply would be very light . Enough for a whole week would mass only 7 kg, and leave some to use as a energy source. You would just use a small jet to burn the atmosphere. Because of the low density of liquid O2 you would need 35 L of storage, though. But logistics on Titan are much easier than on Mars. The trick is to get there.<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[3488]

Hi Anthmartian, Joel & Jon,<br /><br />Thank you very much for all of your kind comments.<br /><br />I just imagined an astronaut on the surface of this fascinating planet sized moon<br />on the shores of one of these strange liquid methane lakes.<br /><br />Only 7 kg O2 for a whole week!!!!! <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br /><br />As you say Jon, we already have the technology to mount such a mission other <br />than the return or even a one way journey.<br /><br />I like your poem Joel, very nice.<br /><br />Thanks Anthmartian, for your support also. I WILL read Stephen Baxter's book.<br /><br />I gather it should be made into a film. <br /><br />Titan.<br /><br />Region of smaller methane lakes, rolling terrain & small ice hills.<br /><br />NASA / JPL.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Thanks Hicup, a very considerate comment.<br /><br />Much appreciated.<br /><br />Titan,<br /><br />Another shoreline of methane lake.<br /><br />Approx 80 degrees north, in polar Winter darkness.<br /><br />NASA / JPL.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>