Rev 227, Nov 30th - Dec 13th |
Rev 227, Nov 30th - Dec 13th |
Nov 26 2015, 07:28 PM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 655 Joined: 22-January 06 Member No.: 655 |
Details for this revolution are available here
This is the orbit I've been looking forward to for some time as it affords us a closer glimpse at Atlas, Prometheus and Epimetheus. In fact, Cassini approaches the latter two at a closer range than it will for the remainder of the mission, and observations are planned for both, as well as Atlas. This, despite having to turn the spacecraft and use the high-gain antenna as a shield during ring-plane crossing to avoid any possible collisions with debris in the ring-plane. This must have been an extra-specially complicated sequence of observations to plan, as it all happens at or around periapse. I'm really looking forward to another view of Atlas particularly - can't wait!!! Jase |
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Dec 8 2015, 01:03 AM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 306 Joined: 4-October 14 Member No.: 7273 |
Flying saucer ? http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/imag...2/N00251477.jpg Is it just the play of light and shadow, or really Atlas is extremely flat ? It's a combination of both. Atlas has a small, roughly spheroidal body at the center, but it's accumulated a thick pancake of ring material along its equator extending out to around the moon's Roche limit. It reaches out far enough that it's blocking light from falling on the moon's southern hemisphere since it's getting close to the southern winter solstice. A couple pictures of Epimetheus, IIRC these will be the best of the mission. It's suprisingly Phobos-like - smooth, old terrain peppered by a lot of smaller fresh craters. It's even got a few grooves here and there! It's also interesting to see some of the darker patches in the bottom of craters on the left side. Sort of looks like layering, although other image sets of the moon make it look more like loose dust that's moved around the moon. And one of Prometheus around closest approach. I'm not sure if it's just a lighting effect, but it looks like many of the craters are surrounded by dark rings. |
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Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 6th June 2024 - 11:54 AM |
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