Cassini finds new ring, objects at Saturn
Posted: Mon, Sep 13, 2004, 8:33 AM ET (1233 GMT)
Images taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft have turned up a previously-unknown faint ring around Saturn as well as one or two unidentified objects that could be moons. Images of the planet, taken in late June shortly before Cassini entered orbit around Saturn, revealed a faint ring associated with the moon Atlas. The ring, designated S/2004 1R, is about 138,000 km from the planet and estimated to be about 300 km wide. The same set of images also revealed an object, S/2004 S3, on the outer edge of Saturn's F ring. Planetary scientists suspect the object is a moon, but the object could also be a temporary clump of ring material. A second object, S/2004 S4, was also seen in the images. The two objects are likely not the same because it would result in an orbit that crossed the F ring.
Images taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft have turned up a previously-unknown faint ring around Saturn as well as one or two unidentified objects that could be moons. Images of the planet, taken in late June shortly before Cassini entered orbit around Saturn, revealed a faint ring associated with the moon Atlas. The ring, designated S/2004 1R, is about 138,000 km from the planet and estimated to be about 300 km wide. The same set of images also revealed an object, S/2004 S3, on the outer edge of Saturn's F ring. Planetary scientists suspect the object is a moon, but the object could also be a temporary clump of ring material. A second object, S/2004 S4, was also seen in the images. The two objects are likely not the same because it would result in an orbit that crossed the F ring.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Tuesday, October 13
Space weather mission Sawa reveals Polish roots
ESA — 1:05 am ET (0505 GMT) A Successful Second Edition of ESA Open Days at ESA Headquarters in Paris
ESA — 1:04 am ET (0504 GMT) Poland says two Turkish nationals detained in Germany over Starlink station fire
TVP World — 1:04 am ET (0504 GMT) Korea Joins ESA Mission to Track Jupiter Probe JUICE
Seoul Economic Daily — 1:03 am ET (0503 GMT) Poland says two Turks arrested over Russia-linked Starlink station fire
Aljazeera — 1:01 am ET (0501 GMT) |
