Close Views Show Saturn's Rings in Unprecedented Detail

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Close Views Show Saturn's Rings in Unprecedented Detail

Post by bystander » Mon Jan 30, 2017 11:35 pm

Close Views Show Saturn's Rings in Unprecedented Detail
NASA | JPL-Caltech | Cassini | CICLOPS | 2017 Jan 30
[c][img3="This image shows a region in Saturn's outer B ring. NASA's Cassini spacecraft viewed this area at a level of detail twice as high as it had ever been observed before. "]http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA21057.jpg[/img3]
[img3="This image shows a region in Saturn's outer B ring. NASA's Cassini spacecraft viewed this area at a level of detail twice as high as it had ever been observed before. And from this view, it is clear that there are still finer details to uncover. "]http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA21058.jpg[/img3]
[img3="This image from NASA's Cassini mission shows a region in Saturn's A ring. The level of detail is twice as high as this part of the rings has ever been seen before. The view contains many small, bright blemishes due to cosmic rays and charged particle radiation near the planet. "]http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA21059.jpg[/img3]
[img3="This Cassini image features a density wave in Saturn's A ring (at left) that lies around 134,500 km from Saturn. Density waves are accumulations of particles at certain distances from the planet. "]http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA21060.jpg[/img3][hr][/hr]Image Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute[/c]

Newly released images showcase the incredible closeness with which NASA's Cassini spacecraft, now in its "Ring-Grazing" orbits phase, is observing Saturn's dazzling rings of icy debris.

The views are some of the closest-ever images of the outer parts of the main rings, giving scientists an eagerly awaited opportunity to observe features with names like "straw" and "propellers." Although Cassini saw these features earlier in the mission, the spacecraft’s current, special orbits are now providing opportunities to see them in greater detail. The new images resolve details as small as 0.3 miles (550 meters), which is on the scale of Earth's tallest buildings.

Cassini is now about halfway through its penultimate mission phase -- 20 orbits that dive past the outer edge of the main ring system. The ring-grazing orbits began last November, and will continue until late April, when Cassini begins its grand finale. During the 22 finale orbits, Cassini will repeatedly plunge through the gap between the rings and Saturn. The first finale plunge is scheduled for April 26.

For now, the veteran spacecraft is shooting past the outer edges of the rings every week, gathering some of its best images of the rings and moons. Already Cassini has sent back the closest-ever views of small moons Daphnis and Pandora. ...

http://asterisk.apod.com/viewtopic.php?t=36586
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