The Grand Finale, Proximal orbits Options

[Steve G]

No new posts for two whole months? Where is everybody? :-o

Alas, the forum gurus are stranded on Mars!

[rlorenz]

No new posts for two whole months? Where is everybody? :-o

Yes, lots going on. But here's something to think about - a long shot, but skilled video astronomers and/or spectroscopists might give it a go,
and the bigger aperture the better

https://arxiv.org/abs/1708.05036

The Cassini spacecraft will enter Saturn's atmosphere on 15th September 2017. This event may be visible from Earth
as a 'meteor' flash, and entry dynamics simulations and results from observation of
spacecraft entries at Earth are summarized to develop expectations for astronomical observability

[nprev]

Interesting. I don't suppose there's a ghost of a chance of getting HST time for this? Wouldn't require a long observation period, but of course the instrument's time is booked years in advance.

[Explorer1]

EOM press event schedule https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/3104/nasa-...ion-activities/

[wildespace]

A bit of surprise astrophotography from Cassini: http://saturnraw.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/i...1/N00287662.jpg



Any idea what this object is?

P.S. It turns out to be part of a lovely panorama of the sky:



Full-size: http://ibb.co/cYz7E5
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wildespace/36792380385

Images have also been taken in IR, GR, and BL wavelengths, so I'll trust someone will create a nice, clean colour image.

[alan]

If that is the Large Magellanic Cloud in the second image, the first might be the cluster 30 Doradus at the center of the Tarantula Nebula.

[wildespace]

If that is the Large Magellanic Cloud in the second image, the first might be the cluster 30 Doradus at the center of the Tarantula Nebula.

Yep, you're right, the panorama is that of the LMC.

[rlorenz]

Interesting. I don't suppose there's a ghost of a chance of getting HST time for this? Wouldn't require a long observation period, but of course the instrument's time is booked years in advance.

We were awarded HST time - it remains to be seen if the timing will work (HST has to be on the right side of the Earth during the entry, and ideally not in the South Atlantic Anomaly, etc.) and if the event is bright enough.

I was actually awarded HST time to observe the Huygens entry, but the STIS instrument failed between when I was awarded an orbit, and when the observation was to be implemented, so it didnt happen. There were a couple of groundbased efforts, but nothing was detected. Cassini is a rather more energetic entry, though

[nprev]

Outstanding! Good hunting.

[Floyd]

Information on the live Cassini Finale on NASA TV is now up.

Wednesday September 13, 1:00pm EDT, News Conference on Cassini's Final Mission Activities.

Friday September 15, 7:00-9:30am EDT, Cassini Grand Finale

Both with be available at https://www.nasa.gov/live

The web page with Cassini Grand Finale information is at this link

I assume most of us members of unmanned space flight will be watching.

[alan]

Enhanced version of the cluster:



Image of Tarantula Nebula from http://eso.org/public/images/eso0005a/ rotated counterclockwise

[nprev]

Sadly, I'll be working the job that pays my bills during EOM. But I think that it's not too early to express my profound admiration of and gratitude to each and every person who made this epic mission happen.

And I do mean 'epic' in the literal sense. Throughout recorded history there have been very few voyages of exploration that are even remotely comparable to that of Cassini-Huygens in terms of audacity, scope, and discovery. There's no need to recount the revelations here, not on this Forum, but suffice to say that we have all been privileged indeed to witness what Cassini has revealed.

It's been a humbling and joyous journey in every way. Deepest thanks to those who made it happen.

[jasedm]

Enhanced version of the cluster

Cassini also imaged Neptune and Triton back in August:

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[JRehling]

And I do mean 'epic' in the literal sense. Throughout recorded history there have been very few voyages of exploration that are even remotely comparable to that of Cassini-Huygens in terms of audacity, scope, and discovery.

There's some part of my consciousness that can't help but compare Cassini to Galileo, which was itself wonderful but, unforgettably, handicapped. Cassini's operations and its machinery were as close to flawless as a mission of this duration could be. From its arrival at Saturn till now, I've always thought of it as "an ace" and that's nothing but the accomplishment of all those people scattered far and wide who helped plan, construct, and operate the finest spacecraft that the outer solar system's ever seen.

[climber]

I realize that the only piece oh human hardware left in the Saturnian system will be Huygens on Titan...