Posted on 09/06/2005 2:14:47 PM PDT by siunevada
LOS ANGELES (AP) - New observations by the international Cassini spacecraft reveal that Saturn's trademark shimmering rings, which have dazzled astronomers since Galileo's time, have dramatically changed over just the past 25 years.
Among the most surprising findings is that parts of Saturn's innermost ring - the D ring - have grown dimmer since the Voyager spacecraft flew by the planet in 1981, and a piece of the D ring has moved 125 miles inward toward Saturn.
While scientists puzzle over what caused the changes, their observations could reveal something about the age and lifetime of the rings.
Cassini-related discoveries were discussed Monday at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society's division of planetary sciences in Cambridge, England.
"I don't think Saturn's rings will disappear anytime soon, but this tells us how the rings are evolving and how long they might last, " deputy project scientist Linda Spilker said in a telephone interview from England.
Scientists are interested in Saturn's rings because they are a model of the disk of gas and dust that initially surrounded the sun. Studying them could yield important clues about how the planets formed from that disc 4.5 billion years ago.
The ring observations were made this summer. The $3.3 billion Cassini mission, funded by NASA and the European and Italian space agencies, was launched in 1997. Cassini is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena.
It is a clear reflection of the stress observable on all bodies in the solar system including the sun itself. The million dollar question is, What is the trigger for these solar system wide processes?
I like onion rings...
BUSH HATE'S THOSE RINGS!!!!
"They first appear as a series of dots on astronomical plates, heading from Saturn directly toward Earth. Since the ringed planet carries no life, scientists deduce the mysterious ship to be a visitor from another star.
The world's frantic efforts to signal the aliens go unanswered. The first contact is hostile: the invaders blast a Soviet space station, seize the survivors, and then destroy every dam and installation on Earth with a hail of asteriods.
Now the conquerors are descending on the American heartland, demanding servile surrender--or death for all humans."
Footfall, Nivelle & Pournelle (1985)
http://www.iblist.com/book2721.htm
Forget the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This would be the ultimate disaster.
Saturn's rings collapsing? Oh, dear! Where is Algore when we really need him????
Gee. The A ring looks bigger than the C and D rings.
It all seems so other-worldly. Spooky.
It's White racism.
This has got to be the least sophomoric post of the group.
I'm sure it couldn't have anything whatsoever to do with our plowing through them with our reconnaissance spacecraft ...
"Gee, maybe planets change all the time... including their climates?"
You blasphemous fool!!
"The million dollar question is, What is the trigger for these solar system wide processes?"
Like you don't know the answer to that! It's Bushes fault damn it. He is now the "Lord of the Rings" too.
" Gravity - It's not just a good idea: It's the LAW!"
Gravity SUCKS!!!
"The million dollar question is, What is the trigger for these solar system wide processes?
This has got to be the least sophomoric post of the group."
I guess you have not read many science related topics here! I can't wait for new ones to get my laughs for the day.
What do you think might be the cause?
Uranus is a planet?
Well someone had to say it. :-)
"Scientists are interested in Saturn's rings because they are a model of the disk of gas and dust that initially surrounded the sun. Studying them could yield important clues about how the planets formed from that disc 4.5 billion years ago."
Observing wedding rings has recently led to a discovery! People change their personal orbits once they put one on!
Sometimes, those orbits get fixed, and don't change.
Sometimes, those orbits fall apart.
Scientists don't yet understand the power of wedding rings, but for the most part would rather NOT study them, the evidence of their power notwithstanding....
Cool book! A lot of fun.
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