Cassini reveals icy nature of Phoebe
Posted: Tue, Jun 15, 2004, 8:27 AM ET (1227 GMT)
Cassini images of Phoebe, an outer moon of Saturn, reveal that the Moon is likely an icy body that formed in the outer solar system and was later captured by Saturn, scientists said Monday. Images of the moon suggest to planetary scientists that the moon is made of "ice-rich" material, covered by a layer of darker material 300-500 meters thick. Scientists reached that conclusion based on differences in features seen on Phoebe versus similarly-sized rocky bodies, such as the asteroids Ida, Mathilde, and Eros. If Phoebe contains significant amounts of ice, it would likely mean that Phoebe formed in the outer solar system, perhaps in the Kuiper Belt, and was later captured by Saturn when it passed close to the giant planet.
Cassini images of Phoebe, an outer moon of Saturn, reveal that the Moon is likely an icy body that formed in the outer solar system and was later captured by Saturn, scientists said Monday. Images of the moon suggest to planetary scientists that the moon is made of "ice-rich" material, covered by a layer of darker material 300-500 meters thick. Scientists reached that conclusion based on differences in features seen on Phoebe versus similarly-sized rocky bodies, such as the asteroids Ida, Mathilde, and Eros. If Phoebe contains significant amounts of ice, it would likely mean that Phoebe formed in the outer solar system, perhaps in the Kuiper Belt, and was later captured by Saturn when it passed close to the giant planet.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Space Force picks 14 companies for GEO surveillance program
Posted: Sat, Apr 11 10:34 AM ET (1434 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Friday, April 17
ESA and Canada sign agreement on the exchange of classified information
ESA — 7:11 am ET (1111 GMT) Canada, ESA Sign Security Information Accord
Aviation Week — 7:09 am ET (1109 GMT) Update: SPACECOM move, incentives
Axios — 7:07 am ET (1107 GMT) Colorado Springs still vital to military space industry, leaders say, even after Space Command move
Colorado Public Radio — 7:07 am ET (1107 GMT) Lockheed Martin Secures $105 Million U.S. Space Force Contract to Advance GPS Ground Control Modernization
Lockheed Martin — 7:06 am ET (1106 GMT) |
