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Huygens probe gets clean bill of health [final checks for Christmas Day release to Saturn's Titan]
The Register ^ | Nov 24, 2004 | Lucy Sherriff

Posted on 11/24/2004 1:51:58 PM PST by Mike Fieschko

The European Space Agency's Huygens probe, carried millions of miles to Saturn on board the NASA Cassini space craft, has completed its final series of checks before separation. The check up, its sixteenth, found the probe in good health, according to the ESA.

The Huygens probe will detach from Cassini on Christmas day, and drop into orbit around Titan, Saturn's biggest moon. On 15 January 2005 it will begin its descent into Titan's atmosphere, an event that might even be visible from Earth, provided you have a decent telescope, and are in the right place at the time.

Huygens en route to Titan's surface Image: ESA

The probe has been designed to reveal more about the surface of Titan. Shrouded in its thick, cloudy atmosphere, the surface of the moon has been a mystery until very recently. Detailed radar images captured by Cassini as it swung past the rocky world delighted astronomers, but did not reveal much about the composition of the landscape.

In October, as scientists counted down to Cassini's closest approach to Titan, Professor John Zarnecki from the Open University, lead scientist for the Science Surface Package on the Huygens Probe, said his team is looking forward to finding out what kind of surface is under all the smog. "In other words we want to know if our instruments will land with a splash or a thud!"

The Huygens probe is named for Christiaan Huygens, the Dutch astronomer who discovered the moon. It measures 2.7 metres across and is built like a shellfish: its hard shell designed to protect its delicate instruments from the heat of entry into the atmosphere.

There are two parts to the probe - the entry assembly module and the descent module. The former carries the thermal protection, and the controls to manoeuvre the craft after it separates from Cassini. The descent module contains the scientific instruments. Three parachutes will slow the craft on the way to the surface. ®



TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cassini; huygens; nasa; saturn; titan
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1 posted on 11/24/2004 1:51:59 PM PST by Mike Fieschko
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To: Mike Fieschko

When they say "with a decent telescope you will be able to see it". I guess everyone has a Hubble telescope to use.


2 posted on 11/24/2004 1:56:57 PM PST by reagandemo (The battle is near are you ready for the sacrifice?)
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To: Mike Fieschko

Maybe it will find more votes for Gore -- or even Kerry.
(Hmm -- so that's where those evil Republicans
hide the ballots.)


3 posted on 11/24/2004 1:59:11 PM PST by StormEye
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To: Mike Fieschko

The Huygens probe is named for Christiaan Huygens, the Dutch astronomer who discovered the moon.

Man, that must have been back before night was invented.

"Hey, you see that?
What?
That!
What?
The thing, that, that mooon!
Oh, yeah I see it now. hunh, wonder what it's made of?"


4 posted on 11/24/2004 2:03:04 PM PST by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: reagandemo
When they say "with a decent telescope you will be able to see it". I guess everyone has a Hubble telescope to use.

I guarantee I could go out and buy the best telescope money has to offer, and I still wouldn't be able to locate the Huygens Probe landing on Titan. I mean really, is this guy serious? If that were the case, we wouldn't even need to turn on the TV, we could just out and watch the landing from our backyards!
5 posted on 11/24/2004 2:07:34 PM PST by rs79bm (Insert Democratic principles and ideals here: .............this space intentionally left blank.....)
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To: Mike Fieschko

Huygens Probe is too small to be seen from Earth. I have seen Titan before though my 8 inch telescope. It is about 8th magnitude. Saturn is really cool to observe.


6 posted on 11/24/2004 2:08:10 PM PST by Ptarmigan (Proud rabbit hater and killer)
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To: tet68

They mean Saturn's moon, not Earth's moon.


7 posted on 11/24/2004 2:09:06 PM PST by rs79bm (Insert Democratic principles and ideals here: .............this space intentionally left blank.....)
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To: Mike Fieschko
Titan, as captured by Cassini:


8 posted on 11/24/2004 2:19:55 PM PST by rs79bm (Insert Democratic principles and ideals here: .............this space intentionally left blank.....)
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To: tet68
The Huygens probe is named for Christiaan Huygens, the Dutch astronomer who discovered the moon.

Man, that must have been back before night was invented.

By "the moon," they mean Titan -- a moon of Saturn.

Even our moon isn't even properly called "the moon." It's called Luna.

9 posted on 11/24/2004 2:25:36 PM PST by Prime Choice (I like Democrats, too. Let's exchange recipes.)
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To: rs79bm
Oh and we could also see the moon landers also! (sarcasm off) This guy does not have a clue.
10 posted on 11/24/2004 2:25:55 PM PST by reagandemo (The battle is near are you ready for the sacrifice?)
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To: rs79bm

Have they narrowed down or determined what the white patches at the southern pole are?


11 posted on 11/24/2004 2:35:43 PM PST by Mike Fieschko
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To: Mike Fieschko
Have they narrowed down or determined what the white patches at the southern pole are?

They know they're white.

12 posted on 11/24/2004 2:36:21 PM PST by Poohbah (Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women!)
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To: Ptarmigan

"Huygens Probe is too small to be seen from Earth."(Ptarmigan)

Agreed. I have an 8" Newt on an EQ Mount, Huygens is not visible, but maybe it flares up as it enters the atmosphere of Titan? That would be cool! I enjoy viewing Saturn as well, I have seen some of her moons which I can't identify myself yet. A flare up on Titan would help me out.

Cool to bump into a fellow Freeper/Astronomer. I look forward to Saturn rising in the Northeast night sky over the winter. I'd like to be watching on or after the 15 of January. How long does it take light from Saturn to reach Earth anyway?

Clear skies


13 posted on 11/24/2004 2:37:59 PM PST by Imperialist
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To: reagandemo
You'd be amazed at what I can see with my cheap little Meade ETX-70:

14 posted on 11/24/2004 2:40:56 PM PST by RandallFlagg (FReepers, Do NOT let the voter fraud stories die!!!! (Magnetic bumper stickers-click my name))
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To: Imperialist

Light from Saturn to Earth?

One hour and 24 minutes to reach Earth, roughly.

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/faq/technical.cfm


15 posted on 11/24/2004 2:43:22 PM PST by Imperialist
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To: RandallFlagg

Define cheap? :)


16 posted on 11/24/2004 2:45:11 PM PST by ProudVet77 (Just say NO to blue states.)
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To: ProudVet77

My Wife bought that for me in 2000 for less than $200.00 (I actually have the 60MM, but it's almost exactly the same as the pic).


17 posted on 11/24/2004 2:47:30 PM PST by RandallFlagg (FReepers, Do NOT let the voter fraud stories die!!!! (Magnetic bumper stickers-click my name))
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To: ProudVet77

I should also mention that I can look at Jupiter as if it were the size of a quarter if I held it at half an arm's length from my eyes.

Saturn comes in at about a nickel.

These cold nights are the best times to see the planets, IMHO.


18 posted on 11/24/2004 2:55:59 PM PST by RandallFlagg (FReepers, Do NOT let the voter fraud stories die!!!! (Magnetic bumper stickers-click my name))
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To: RandallFlagg
No disrepect meant about your scope, but you won't be seeing the Huygens probe at Saturn with it.

..unless the Saturnians nuke it.
19 posted on 11/24/2004 2:56:02 PM PST by clyde asbury (In the eyes of the Confessor, there's no place you can hide.)
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To: Imperialist
Light from Saturn to Earth?

One hour and 24 minutes to reach Earth, roughly.

Must be a little old photon from Florida, with its left turn signal on.

20 posted on 11/24/2004 2:59:31 PM PST by Poohbah (Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women!)
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