IPB

Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )

Why has Cassini not done a high-rez mosaic of Titan?
stephenv2
post Jan 27 2009, 07:27 PM
Post #1


Junior Member
**

Group: Members
Posts: 48
Joined: 27-December 06
From: Greensboro, NC USA
Member No.: 1522



I've not be able to find a good answer to this question. High resolution visible light images of all the major moons of Saturn seem to exist but I don't see anything much over 500 pixels and not very usuable. I desperately need one for my film. I realize that the hazy world may make it seems there is not much science value in this but I'm not 100% convinced of that. Plus, I suspect a really high resolution image (say a 16-image one) would be well worth the cost from a PR viewpoint and perhaps it would reveal some interesting info as well.

I have not found any real orbital/mission reason it could not be done before Cassini is finished. Anyone have any insight?


--------------------
stephen van vuuren
filmmaker
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
 
Start new topic
Replies
volcanopele
post Jan 27 2009, 07:36 PM
Post #2


Senior Member
****

Group: Moderator
Posts: 3226
Joined: 11-February 04
From: Tucson, AZ
Member No.: 23



The biggest problem with creating a high-resolution visible color mosaic of Titan is the blandness of Titan's atmosphere. It would be difficult to piece the images together properly if there are no real features to set as control points. And as you point out, the science basis for using all that data volume is pretty limited.

Now, I can definitely see taking more single frame visible color images. I wonder if there is enough data volume available to splice them into out cloud monitoring observations.


--------------------
&@^^!% Jim! I'm a geologist, not a physicist!
The Gish Bar Times - A Blog all about Jupiter's Moon Io
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
stephenv2
post Jan 27 2009, 08:11 PM
Post #3


Junior Member
**

Group: Members
Posts: 48
Joined: 27-December 06
From: Greensboro, NC USA
Member No.: 1522



QUOTE (volcanopele @ Jan 27 2009, 02:36 PM) *
The biggest problem with creating a high-resolution visible color mosaic of Titan is the blandness of Titan's atmosphere. It would be difficult to piece the images together properly if there are no real features to set as control points.


Sure, a little challenging but certainly not a reason not to do it. I would enjoy putting that mosaic together myself. I think the real issue is per the mission planning. I mean Titan is the moon we landed on - yet we don't have good photograph. Does this have anything to do with the general public's general ignorance of Huygens? This reminds of Apollo 8 and lack of planned photographs of earth. Fortunately, astronaunts with cameras were aboard and took perhaps some of the most important pictures in history.

I know if Cassini were manned we'd have a ton of nice photos of Titan. I think it's important that we get a least one before Cassini leaves.


--------------------
stephen van vuuren
filmmaker
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post

Posts in this topic
- stephenv2   Why has Cassini not done a high-rez mosaic of Titan?   Jan 27 2009, 07:27 PM
- - volcanopele   The biggest problem with creating a high-resolutio...   Jan 27 2009, 07:36 PM
|- - stephenv2   QUOTE (volcanopele @ Jan 27 2009, 02:36 P...   Jan 27 2009, 08:11 PM
|- - ugordan   You're not missing out on much. At low phase a...   Jan 27 2009, 08:20 PM
||- - stephenv2   QUOTE (ugordan @ Jan 27 2009, 03:20 PM) Y...   Jan 27 2009, 08:33 PM
|- - djellison   QUOTE (stephenv2 @ Jan 27 2009, 08:11 PM)...   Jan 27 2009, 08:36 PM
|- - stephenv2   Full inline quote removed - Admin Per the manned/...   Jan 27 2009, 08:44 PM
|- - djellison   QUOTE (stephenv2 @ Jan 27 2009, 08:44 PM)...   Jan 27 2009, 09:52 PM
- - volcanopele   Looks about right, ugordan   Jan 27 2009, 08:32 PM
- - imipak   It depends whose "best" are referred to,...   Jan 27 2009, 09:53 PM
|- - stephenv2   QUOTE (imipak @ Jan 27 2009, 04:53 PM) th...   Jan 28 2009, 01:17 AM
|- - stevesliva   QUOTE (stephenv2 @ Jan 27 2009, 09:17 PM)...   Mar 17 2009, 02:35 PM
|- - stephenv2   QUOTE (stevesliva @ Mar 17 2009, 09:35 AM...   Mar 17 2009, 03:06 PM
- - Phil Stooke   Uh - 'they' have done lots of high resolut...   Jan 27 2009, 11:00 PM
|- - stephenv2   QUOTE (Phil Stooke @ Jan 27 2009, 06:00 P...   Jan 28 2009, 01:23 AM
|- - titanicrivers   QUOTE (stephenv2 @ Jan 27 2009, 07:23 PM)...   Jan 28 2009, 02:26 AM
|- - stephenv2   QUOTE (titanicrivers @ Jan 27 2009, 09:26...   Jan 28 2009, 05:48 AM
- - Vultur   The trick for making an extrapolation look right w...   Jan 28 2009, 07:56 AM
- - djellison   You've asked for insight into mission reasons ...   Jan 28 2009, 09:21 AM
- - Greg Hullender   I am kind of curious why we don't seem to have...   Jan 29 2009, 11:54 PM
- - volcanopele   The southern trailing hemisphere has been poorly c...   Jan 30 2009, 12:03 AM
|- - Greg Hullender   QUOTE (volcanopele @ Jan 29 2009, 04:03 P...   Jan 30 2009, 04:39 AM
- - Phil Stooke   For what it's worth, Voyager 1 did take high r...   Jan 30 2009, 12:05 AM
- - nprev   Just out of curiosity, has anybody developed a goo...   Jan 30 2009, 01:33 AM
- - lyford   Ah, just film a cue ball in amber light with some ...   Jan 30 2009, 03:33 AM
- - volcanopele   Okay, yep that gap is real. Again, in later NT en...   Jan 30 2009, 04:47 AM
- - Greg Hullender   Oh I don't think "annoyed" is the ri...   Jan 30 2009, 04:23 PM


Reply to this topicStart new topic

 



RSS Lo-Fi Version Time is now: 28th March 2024 - 11:17 PM
RULES AND GUIDELINES
Please read the Forum Rules and Guidelines before posting.

IMAGE COPYRIGHT
Images posted on UnmannedSpaceflight.com may be copyrighted. Do not reproduce without permission. Read here for further information on space images and copyright.

OPINIONS AND MODERATION
Opinions expressed on UnmannedSpaceflight.com are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of UnmannedSpaceflight.com or The Planetary Society. The all-volunteer UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderation team is wholly independent of The Planetary Society. The Planetary Society has no influence over decisions made by the UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderators.
SUPPORT THE FORUM
Unmannedspaceflight.com is funded by the Planetary Society. Please consider supporting our work and many other projects by donating to the Society or becoming a member.