Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Enceladus Looms

NASA ^ | Thursday, May 12, 2011 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit: Cassini Imaging Team, ISS, JPL, ESA, NASA] Explanation: A sunlit crescent of Saturn's moon Enceladus looms above the night side of Saturn in this dramatic image from the Cassini spacecraft. Captured on August 13, 2010 looking in a sunward direction during a flyby of the icy moon, the view also traces layers in the upper atmosphere of Saturn scattering sunlight along the planet's bright limb. Closer to the spacecraft than Saturn, Enceladus is a mere 60,000 kilometers from Cassini's camera. The south polar region of the 500 kilometer-diameter moon is illuminated, including plumes of water vapor and icy particles spraying above the long fissures in the moon's surface. The fissures have been dubbed tiger stripes. First discovered in Cassini images from 2005, the plumes are strong evidence that liquid water exists near the surface of surprisingly active Enceladus.

[SunkenCiv]

World's oldest telescope?
by Dr David Whitehouse
Thursday, July 1, 1999

According to Professor Giovanni Pettinato of the University of Rome, a rock crystal lens, currently on show in the British museum, could rewrite the history of science. He believes that it could explain why the ancient Assyrians knew so much about astronomy. It is a theory many scientists might be prepared to accept, but the idea that the rock crystal was part of a telescope is something else. To get from a lens to a telescope, they say, is an enormous leap. Professor Pettinato counters by asking for an explanation of how the ancient Assyrians regarded the planet Saturn as a god surrounded by a ring of serpents?

[SunkenCiv]

The list so far:

brytlea
cripplecreek
decimon
bigheadfred
KoRn
Grammy
married21
steelyourfaith
Mmogamer
dayglored
kitchen
BrewingFrog
Ole Okie
Finger Monkey
Dan Cooper
colorado tanker

I freely admit that decimon didn’t actually ask to join, I merely inferred it.

And bigheadfred, I’m adding you just ‘coz I’m draggin’ you down with me.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks! That Assyrian telescope is just something that gets pulled out of the archives from time to time, and I don’t have a standard logo image or anything to put in msg one (yet). I hate leaving those blank. :’)

[SunkenCiv]

Wow! Nice turnout! Welcome to the revived APOD list, all!

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[SunkenCiv]

Here’s a one-time ping to those who responded in yesterday’s topic, but didn’t ask to join (y’know, just in case).

668 - Neighbor of the Beast
ak267
almost done by half
Conan the Librarian
Cringing Negativism Network
Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!
El Sordo
fightinJAG
Lonesome in Massachussets
Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Moonman62
Rebelbase
Red Badger
SERKIT
SuziQ

[decimon]

I freely admit that decimon didn’t actually ask to join, I merely inferred it.

You perfect perfunctory punctiliousness, sir.

Okay.

[SunkenCiv]

Your alliteration is excellent.

[brytlea]

I was so excited when I saw that this really was officially done! AWSOME, APOD LIVES!!! :) Life is good. Well, better anyway. :) Thank you. I will use my new favorite word. Awesomesauce!

[KoRn]

AWESOME PIC!!!!!!!!!

Great to see the APOD back!

I was wondering where you were earlier this evening. My apologies for ever doubting you. lol

[brytlea]

And, changing my tagline in honor. :)

[KoRn]

PS: Enceladus is one of the more fascinating moons in our Solar System. Makes for a great first ping to the list! Very cool pic with the upper atmosphere of Saturn too!

[SunkenCiv]

Especially since it was my aunt Selladus who got me interested in astronomy in the first place.

[21twelve]

Hey Sunk. COOL picture. I always find it interesting how the sci-fy movies get so many things right - like the jets of gas and water coming out of those fissures.

Please add me to your ping list for this subject.

[dfwright]

I’d like to be added to your ping list for the Astronomy Picture of the Day, please and thank you!

[goodnesswins]

Please add me to your ping list..need something besides POLITICS to enjoy....

[Bean Counter]

I wonder if science will ever catch up with the output from Cassini. What an incredible mission it has been already, and it has already sent back enough data for a Legion of Phd’s....

Amazing image....

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks brytlea! Here's the current new-and-improved post-a-topic link inside the slightly improved prototype ping message (this will come in useful for me and for whomever takes over). I couldn't figure out how to make it come up with the "excerpt" box checked, oh well:

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[steelyourfaith]

Bravo !