Saturn: the "Ringed Beauty" and His Moons
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Saturn-EB.jpgMethane in the Clouds of Saturn (Special Image Processing - credits: Elisabetta Bonora - Lunexit Team)56 visitenessun commentoMareKromium
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Saturn-Exagon.jpgThe "Exagon" of Saturn's North Pole56 visiteIt is unclear how an unusual Hexagonal Cloud System that surrounds Saturn's North Pole was created, keeps its shape, or how long it will last.
Originally discovered during the Voyager flybys of Saturn in the 80s, nobody has ever seen anything like it elsewhere in the Solar System.
Although its IR glow was visible previously to the Cassini Spacecraft now orbiting Saturn, over the past year the mysterious Hexagonal Vortex became fully illuminated by Sunlight for the first time during the Cassini's visit. Since then, Cassini has imaged the rotating Hexagon in Visible Light enough times to create this full-view. (the North Pole center was not well imaged and has been excluded)
Planetary scientists are sure to continue to study this most unusual cloud formation for quite some time.MareKromium
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Saturn-F Ring-PIA06098_modest.jpgThe "F" Ring from Cassini-Huygens (1)58 visitenessun commento
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Saturn-HST-1996upto2000-PIA03156_modest.jpgSaturn from Hubble Space Telescope (1996 - 2000)57 visiteCaption NASA originale:"...Looming like a giant flying saucer in our outer solar system, Saturn puts on a show as the planet and its magnificent ring system nod majestically over the course of its 29-year journey around the Sun. These Hubble Space Telescope images, captured from 1996 to 2000, show Saturn's rings open up from just past edge-on to nearly fully open as it moves from autumn towards winter in its Northern Hemisphere..."
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Saturn-HST-2009-12-a-full_jpg.jpgThe Ringed Beauty and (some of) His Companions (Natural Colors; credits: NASA)56 visiteCaption NASA:"On February 24, 2009, the Hubble Space Telescope took a photo of 4 moons of Saturn passing in front of their Parent Planet. In this view, the giant orange moon Titan casts a large shadow onto Saturn's North Polar hood. Below Titan, near the Ring-Plane and to the left is the moon Mimas, casting a much smaller shadow onto Saturn's equatorial cloud tops. Farther to the left, and off Saturn's disk, are the bright moon Dione and the fainter moon Enceladus.
These rare moon transits only happen when the tilt of Saturn's Ring-Plane is nearly "edge on" as seen from the Earth. Saturn's Rings will be perfectly edge on to our line of sight on August 10, 2009, and September 4, 2009. Unfortunately, Saturn will be too close to the Sun to be seen by viewers on Earth at that time.
This "Ring-Plane Crossing" occurs every 14-15 years. In 1995-96 Hubble witnessed the Ring-Plane Crossing Event, as well as many moon transits, and even helped discover several new moons of Saturn.
The banded structure in Saturn's Atmosphere is similar to Jupiter's.
Early 2009 was a favorable time for viewers with small telescopes to watch moon and shadow transits crossing the face of Saturn.
Titan, Saturn's largest moon, crossed (and shall cross) Saturn on 4 separate occasions: January 24, February 9, February 24, and March 12, although not all events were visible from all locations on Earth.
These pictures were taken with Hubble's Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 on February 24, 2009, when Saturn was at a distance of roughly 775 MMs (such as about 1,25 BKM) from Earth. Hubble can see details as small as 190 miles (such as about 300 km) across on Saturn. The dark band running across the face of the Planet slightly above the Rings is the shadow of the Rings cast on the Planet".MareKromium
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Saturn-HST-Oct.2000-PIA03162_modest.jpgSaturn from Hubble Space Telescope (Oct. 2000)59 visitenessun commento
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Saturn-HST-Oct1996-PIA03158_modest.jpgSaturn from Hubble Space Telescope (Oct. 1996)58 visitenessun commento
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Saturn-HST-Oct1997-PIA03159_modest.jpgSaturn from Hubble Space Telescope (Oct. 1997)57 visitenessun commento
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Saturn-HST-Oct1998-PIA03160_modest.jpgSaturn from Hubble Space Telescope (Oct. 1998)54 visitenessun commento
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Saturn-HST-Oct1999-PIA03161_modest.jpgSaturn from Hubble Space Telescope (Oct. 1999)55 visitenessun commento
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Saturn-HST-PIA05982_modest.jpgSaturn from Hubble Space Telescope57 visiteCaption NASA originale:"...The subtle pastel colors of ammonia-methane clouds trace a variety of atmospheric dynamics. Saturn displays its familiar banded structure, with haze and clouds at various altitudes. Like Jupiter, all bands are parallel to Saturn's equator. The magnificent rings, at nearly their maximum tilt toward Earth, show subtle hues which indicate the trace chemical differences in their icy composition..."
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Saturn-HST.jpgMoments of the "Lord of the Rings"54 visitenessun commento
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