Enceladus October 31st, 2008 Encounter, More skeet shooting Options

[vikingmars]

Another quick mosaic from the encounter to help you position the hi-res pics in their sulci global geological context. Enjoy !

[scalbers]

And another quick map update where I better like the rendition between Mosul and Cashmere sulci...



Full res version at http://laps.noaa.gov/albers/sos/sos.html#ENCELADUS

Steve

[Vultur]

Those pictures are awesome ... fine tracery on the ice. What an interesting moon.

[Exploitcorporati...]

Howdies, everyone!

Back again from the grave once more with a composite of the high-resolution imagery from both Revs eighty and ninety-one. The backdrop is a greyscale version of VP's orthographic mosaic from the August encounter.His mosaic of the four sharpest frames from the Halloween pass is incorporated as well for additional accuracy. I've excluded the two frames centered on the unnamed canyon to the north of Damascus Sulcus, and included the WAC frame from August that's misssing in Emily's map. Much thanks to both Emily and Jason for making this easy. Enjoy!

PS: These have to be some of the best images in the history of planetary exploration...repeat kudos to the ISS team for another miracle.

[Exploitcorporati...]

I'd like to include (a) crop at full resolution for wallpapers and such. Even at reduced scale, the the boulder-y surface texture over this area comes out well with such broad coverage. Tops:

[Exploitcorporati...]

Bottoms:

Ruh Roh. Not anymore.

[Exploitcorporati...]

Odds and ends...this is ridiculously inaccurate, but I'm sure the more talented among us can do something better (hint hint Don Davis )




Just for laughs, here's a real oblique view of the northern cratered terrain that seems to have been lost from the first close pass back in February '05.

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[jasedm]

Magnificent stuff as ever!
Too long between your posts EC - missed your work.
I agree regarding your comment that the Enceladus images are "some of the best images in the history of planetary exploration"
The skeet-shoot process reminds me of the fabulously innovative way in which Voyager 2 carried out its close encounter with Miranda in order to compensate for a dicky scan platform, high encounter speed and low light-levels.

[Julius]

Any news as yet as to what Cassini sniffed in the plumes!?how come its taking so long ?

[elakdawalla]

I don't expect to hear anything until December 15, at the Enceladus sessions at the AGU meeting.

--Emily

[Exploitcorporati...]

The images in my earlier posts have been modified, because they were terrible. The evil trolls of UMSF were using them to promote ideas contrary to the valid goals and purposes of this forum ( IE, accuracy), so I corrected them hastily. The Enceladalosians are pleased with the results, so we invite you once again to view the fantastic and fanciful images of The Cassini free from the vile influence of Strong Drink and Pilates. Enjoy. Responsibly.

[Floyd]

Thanks EC--great work.

Nice article in the December Scientific American: The restless World of Enceladus by Carolyne Porco.
The article has some nice images (as you would expect) and discussion about sources of heat.
Carolyne also speaks of the possibility of life:

"Enceladus not only has enough heat to drive surface-altering geological activity but also is endowed with organic compounds and possibly underground channels or even seas of liquid water. Energy, organics, liquid water: these are the three requisites for life as we know it. In our exploration of this alien and faraway place, we have come face to face with an environment potentially suitable for living organisms. It does not get much better than this."

There is even a picture of Doug (in yellow) and EC (in red) in space suits hiking up to jets.

[imipak]

Enceladus article online. There goes Sunday

EDIT: there's a great 6 minute video, too. Strangely reminiscent of the 1970s Open University programmes, too, both in the production values (the audio.... the music!) and the quality of the content (excellent.)

[Del Palmer]

Enceladus article online. There goes Sunday

Excellent, many thanks for the heads-up! Saves me a trip to the library to read their copy.

[ngunn]

Enceladus CHARM today:
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/products/CHARM.cfm