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Lakefront Landing in Crème Brulé
For the first time, humans have gotten a close-up look at Titan, the planet-sized moon. Huygens, scientists say, has landed in soil with the consistency of wet sand or clay. The scenery surrounding the landing site resembles a postcard panorama of undeveloped lakefront property, hand-tinted in pastel shades of orange.
For the first time, humans have gotten a close-up look at Titan, the planet-sized moon. Huygens, scientists say, has landed in soil with the consistency of wet sand or clay. The scenery surrounding the landing site resembles a postcard panorama of undeveloped lakefront property, hand-tinted in pastel shades of orange.
Splendid Saturn
The interplay of light and gravity feature in the shaping of Saturn's rings. As its moon orbit, they attract dust particles into fine bands or divisions. New images from the Cassini probe reveal both what the moons look like up close and also how they sculpt the planet's signature rings.
The interplay of light and gravity feature in the shaping of Saturn's rings. As its moon orbit, they attract dust particles into fine bands or divisions. New images from the Cassini probe reveal both what the moons look like up close and also how they sculpt the planet's signature rings.
Dark Echoes from Titan
Looking at radar reflections of Titan, scientists are puzzled by what they see: is the surface dotted with black pools or two different materials, one light, the other dark. Connecting these dots will depend on overlaying the visual with more bouncing radio waves.
Looking at radar reflections of Titan, scientists are puzzled by what they see: is the surface dotted with black pools or two different materials, one light, the other dark. Connecting these dots will depend on overlaying the visual with more bouncing radio waves.
Titan's Drumroll Please
The Cassini flyby of Saturn's largest moon, Titan, captured four gigabytes of data and images Wednesday morning. So far, the smoggy moon looks free of impact craters, shows streakiness or wind-scouring and harbors dark boundaries against a lighter 'shoreline'. Whether the moon actually has oily lakes will not be clarified until radar and stereo views are processed in the next 24-hours.
The Cassini flyby of Saturn's largest moon, Titan, captured four gigabytes of data and images Wednesday morning. So far, the smoggy moon looks free of impact craters, shows streakiness or wind-scouring and harbors dark boundaries against a lighter 'shoreline'. Whether the moon actually has oily lakes will not be clarified until radar and stereo views are processed in the next 24-hours.
Saturn's Perfect Storms
To see a hurricane grow on Earth, one's best view is from orbit. But on the windiest planet in the solar system, Saturnian clouds can gather to sizes greater than our tiny blue planet.
To see a hurricane grow on Earth, one's best view is from orbit. But on the windiest planet in the solar system, Saturnian clouds can gather to sizes greater than our tiny blue planet.
Spectrum of Stormy Saturn
Seeing Saturn in different wavelengths gives mission scientists a new and stormy picture of weather on the gas giant. While the view in ultraviolet highlights the stratosphere, the view in infrared shows swirling patterns from rotating cloud bands.
Seeing Saturn in different wavelengths gives mission scientists a new and stormy picture of weather on the gas giant. While the view in ultraviolet highlights the stratosphere, the view in infrared shows swirling patterns from rotating cloud bands.
Saturn's Southern Bullseye
Saturn is not only a ringed world, but also a banded one. When the Cassini probe looked at the south pole, Saturn's circulating stripes showed remnants of differential rotation rates in the upper atmosphere. Saturn is unique with its magnetic pole centered on the geographic axis, unlike Earth and Jupiter where the magnetic north and south poles are displaced from their central axes.
Saturn is not only a ringed world, but also a banded one. When the Cassini probe looked at the south pole, Saturn's circulating stripes showed remnants of differential rotation rates in the upper atmosphere. Saturn is unique with its magnetic pole centered on the geographic axis, unlike Earth and Jupiter where the magnetic north and south poles are displaced from their central axes.
Saturnian Shadow Looms Across Rings
Cassini turned to look back at where it has been, when its cameras snapped a picture of the setting sun across Saturn's spectacular rings.
Cassini turned to look back at where it has been, when its cameras snapped a picture of the setting sun across Saturn's spectacular rings.
Close-up Look at Saturn's Rings
Cassini has sent back its first close-up images of Saturn's rings, and mission scientists are already busy re-evaluating old theories - and struggling to come up with some new ones. The images confirm that Saturn's rings are endlessly complex and dynamic, truly one of the natural wonders of the solar system.
Cassini has sent back its first close-up images of Saturn's rings, and mission scientists are already busy re-evaluating old theories - and struggling to come up with some new ones. The images confirm that Saturn's rings are endlessly complex and dynamic, truly one of the natural wonders of the solar system.
World Reacts to Ringworld's Camera
Cassini transmitted its first closeup views of the mysterious Saturnian rings after its successful orbital insertion on June 30th. Planetary watchers hope to resolve a two decade old debate on how the rings form both circular and radial bands (or 'spokes') at the same time.
Cassini transmitted its first closeup views of the mysterious Saturnian rings after its successful orbital insertion on June 30th. Planetary watchers hope to resolve a two decade old debate on how the rings form both circular and radial bands (or 'spokes') at the same time.