Science at Saturn - Cassini Delivers
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During this maneuver, Cassini was aimed to pass through a narrow gap in Saturn's Rings known as the Encke Division. (the outermost, thin gap seen here)
While passing through the ring-plane, the craft's main antenna was positioned to absorb the brunt of the impacts of anything that might have been located within that seemingly empty gap. It was hardly empty! During the passage Cassini recorded more than 100,000 impacts in less than 5 minutes from tiny particles ranging in size from those of smoke particles to others perhaps as large as talcum powder. Cassini sustained little damage from this passage through the ring-plane.
Close-up of the Encke Division
While making this historic maneuver Cassini wasn't idle. Its cameras were constantly imaging the area through which it would pass and delivered some truly stunning pictures.
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Other science at Saturn included imaging and spectroscopic studies of two of Saturn's moons, distant Phoebe and mighty Titan, Saturn's largest moon and the second largest of all known moons in our solar system. When passing by Phoebe at a distance of approximately 8,000 miles, Cassini used its visible light and spectroscopic cameras to capture dozens of images. Phoebe is an oddity at Saturn in that it orbits the planet in the "wrong direction" or opposite the directional orbits of all other Saturnian moons. This combined with some of the newest images from Cassini are reinforcing the idea that Phoebe may be a captured asteroid. (see Phoebe close-up image in our Gallery of Science Photos) One crater in particular reveals layering of lighter and darker materials at the lip of the crater. It is believed that this may be the evidence expected from an overall icy body which has been covered over by darker materials, indicating a possible non-original object of the Saturnian system.
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Titan was also in the Cassini spotlight as it raced above the clouds of Saturn. Here, wavelengths of light in the visible, infrared and ultraviolet portions of the spectrum revealed some of the best ever surface features on Titan. Previously, powerful radar waves were aimed at Titan from Earth and delivered limited resolution of Titan's surface through its super thick layers of methane and nitrogen clouds. The image below shows a combined-light view of Titan's surface. As the time draws nearer to release Cassini's piggybacking Huygens probe this coming Christmas Day, what wondrous sights will Huygens relay to Cassini for transmission back to Earth as it descends into the thick atmosphere while taking up to 1,100 images on the way down to the surface? It's a safe bet that more new and mysterious discoveries awaits scientists here on Earth as that time approaches.
Saturn holds so many more haunting and spectacular secrets for Cassini to see and analyze as this mission unfolds. We have a ring-side seat for one of the most interesting missions to another world ever attempted and AOAS will bring you as much of the important highlights as possible over the course of the next four years, or more, if the mission is extended.
Pull up a seat and enjoy the show!!!
For more images, go to our gallery of Science Photos, or visit the Cassini/Huygens Home Page at: http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov