Moon creates "giant snowballs" in Saturn's rings
Posted: Wed, Jul 21, 2010, 6:42 AM ET (1042 GMT)
Scientists have spotted giant "snowballs" of icy materials in the rings of Saturn created by the gravity of a passing moon. Observations by NASA's Cassini spacecraft show clumps of material forming in the planet's F ring, creating objects as large as 20 kilometers in diameter. The objects, scientists said, are created by gravitational disturbances from the moon Prometheus, one of two "shepherding" moons that keeps the narrow ring in place. Many of these objects break apart in a matter of months, but some can escape, scientists said; this may explain a small moon discovered in 2004 that intersects the ring at times, creating debris.
Scientists have spotted giant "snowballs" of icy materials in the rings of Saturn created by the gravity of a passing moon. Observations by NASA's Cassini spacecraft show clumps of material forming in the planet's F ring, creating objects as large as 20 kilometers in diameter. The objects, scientists said, are created by gravitational disturbances from the moon Prometheus, one of two "shepherding" moons that keeps the narrow ring in place. Many of these objects break apart in a matter of months, but some can escape, scientists said; this may explain a small moon discovered in 2004 that intersects the ring at times, creating debris.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Vast signs contract with SpaceX for ISS private astronaut missions
Posted: Sat, Dec 21 11:59 AM ET (1659 GMT) Avio signs ESA contracts for Vega upgrades and Earth science satellite launch
Posted: Sat, Dec 21 11:57 AM ET (1657 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, December 26
Buy SpaceX Stock With Ease, But Beware The Risks
Forbes.com — 7:35 am ET (1235 GMT) ESA Enlists Portuguese Navy Submarine to Prepare for Deep Space
European Spaceflight — 7:22 am ET (1222 GMT) Has CNES Opened the Door for a European Space Station?
European Spaceflight — 7:21 am ET (1221 GMT) Scientists await signal from spacecraft after historic close encounter with the sun
NPR — 7:19 am ET (1219 GMT) Summer read: Cosmic Catastrophes
Cosmos Magazine — 7:18 am ET (1218 GMT) |
