Cassini spots Titan shoreline
Posted: Sun, Sep 18, 2005, 7:51 AM ET (1151 GMT)
NASA's Cassini spacecraft has observed what scientists believe is a shoreline of a past or present sea on the surface of Saturn's largest moon, Titan. Radar images taken by Cassini show what scientists have interpreted to be a shoreline separating bright and dark regions, representing regions that are rough and smooth, respectively. Brightness patterns in the dark area led scientists to believe that the region was once flooded with a liquid that has since at least partially receded. The radar images also show a set of features running through the bright terrain that may be drainage channels. Prior to Cassini's arrival scientists anticipated that some portions of Titan's surface might be covered by lakes or seas of liquid hydrocarbons, but observations to date have failed to turn up much evidence of such bodies.
NASA's Cassini spacecraft has observed what scientists believe is a shoreline of a past or present sea on the surface of Saturn's largest moon, Titan. Radar images taken by Cassini show what scientists have interpreted to be a shoreline separating bright and dark regions, representing regions that are rough and smooth, respectively. Brightness patterns in the dark area led scientists to believe that the region was once flooded with a liquid that has since at least partially receded. The radar images also show a set of features running through the bright terrain that may be drainage channels. Prior to Cassini's arrival scientists anticipated that some portions of Titan's surface might be covered by lakes or seas of liquid hydrocarbons, but observations to date have failed to turn up much evidence of such bodies.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
SpaceX launches Starlink satellites in final launch of 2024
Posted: Sat, Jan 4 8:39 AM ET (1339 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Monday, January 6
Elon Musk ‘waiting for approval from the government’ to launch Starlink in Pakistan
Dawn (Pakistan) — 5:24 am ET (1024 GMT) United Airlines accelerates its Starlink rollout, with first commercial flight planned for spring
TechCrunch — 5:24 am ET (1024 GMT) Elon Musk’s Starlink to launch on United Airlines flights by spring
CNN — 5:23 am ET (1023 GMT) United Airlines to bring Musk's Starlink on flights by spring
Reuters — 5:23 am ET (1023 GMT) Space out? Trump’s re-election refuels concern over Space Command’s permanent headquarters
Colorado Springs Business Journal — 5:22 am ET (1022 GMT) |
