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.
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. ®
When they say "with a decent telescope you will be able to see it". I guess everyone has a Hubble telescope to use.
Maybe it will find more votes for Gore -- or even Kerry.
(Hmm -- so that's where those evil Republicans
hide the ballots.)
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?"
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.
They mean Saturn's moon, not Earth's 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.
Have they narrowed down or determined what the white patches at the southern pole are?
They know they're white.
"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
Light from Saturn to Earth?
One hour and 24 minutes to reach Earth, roughly.
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/faq/technical.cfm
Define cheap? :)
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).
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.
One hour and 24 minutes to reach Earth, roughly.
Must be a little old photon from Florida, with its left turn signal on.
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