Cassini detects tenuous atmosphere around Saturn moon
Posted: Tue, Mar 6, 2012, 6:50 AM ET (1150 GMT)
Scientists have found that an icy moon of Saturn has a very tenuous atmosphere of molecular oxygen. Instruments on NASA's Cassini spacecraft detected the presence of ions of molecular oxygen surrounding the moon Dione, with a density similar to the Earth's atmosphere at an altitude of nearly 500 kilometers. Scientists believe the oxygen is created when solar photons or energetic particles strike the moon's icy surface, liberating oxygen, but haven't rules out geological processes. Cassini also detected a similar tenuous atmosphere around Saturn's moon Rhea in 2010.
Scientists have found that an icy moon of Saturn has a very tenuous atmosphere of molecular oxygen. Instruments on NASA's Cassini spacecraft detected the presence of ions of molecular oxygen surrounding the moon Dione, with a density similar to the Earth's atmosphere at an altitude of nearly 500 kilometers. Scientists believe the oxygen is created when solar photons or energetic particles strike the moon's icy surface, liberating oxygen, but haven't rules out geological processes. Cassini also detected a similar tenuous atmosphere around Saturn's moon Rhea in 2010.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, August 12
Firefly Now Targeting Next Alpha Flight By Year’s End
Aviation Week — 4:54 am ET (0854 GMT) 'Russian Starlink' Is Fast Becoming A Reality, There's Just One Problem For The Kremlin
Radio Free Europe — 4:52 am ET (0852 GMT) Firefly Aerospace Announces Extension of Multi-Launch Agreement with Lockheed Martin Through 2031
Firefly Aerospace — 4:50 am ET (0850 GMT) Firefly’s SciTec Awarded $94 Million U.S. Space Force Contract to Advance Ground-Based Radar Digitization Program
Firefly Aerospace — 4:49 am ET (0849 GMT) Registration Now Open for Spacepower Conference 2026
EINPresswire.com — 4:49 am ET (0849 GMT) |
