[X] My Assistant

[volcanopele]

As Saturn approaches periapsis for Rev 04 this week, time to start talking observations. Obviously there is the Encelaudus close flyby on Wednesday. In addition, there is a 84,000 km encounter of Tethys which should provide a great view of Ithaca Chasma.

Also, I have a post up on my blog about the latest mutual event, this time between Mimas and Janus.

[alan]

Now this is an interesting idea
http://www.universetoday.com/am/publish/ia...ng.html?1252005

[dvandorn]

Now this is an interesting idea
http://www.universetoday.com/am/publish/ia...ng.html?1252005

Rings very true with me. Especially where Freire says "The dark streaks observed at the edge of Cassini Regio indicate that it was a wind blowing from the equator that deposited the 'dust'. We can be certain of this because Cassini imagery shows clearly that the dust is deposited downward from the crater rims."

The first close approach images of Iapetus from Cassini sure looked to me like they showed material literally piled into craters, especially along the edge of Cassini Regio. And the material appears to be piled against the *far* walls of the craters in relation to Cassini Regio -- in other words, the material was blown from the direction of the dark area, which means that it settled on the far inside rims, leaving the near inside rims uncovered (and therefore retaining their bright surfaces).

I don't recall if I mentioned here my perception of how the material collected against the far rims of the craters along the edge of the dark area, but I sure noticed it... and then, when several members of the forum suggested that no material was deposited but, instead, icy coverings were being stripped to create the dark albedo, I decided that my eyes must have lied to me.

It's nice to know somneone else saw the same things I did!

-the other Doug