New images glimpse Titan's atmosphere and surface
Posted: Thu, Dec 19, 2002, 8:37 AM ET (1337 GMT)
A new set of images released Wednesday offer the best view yet of the atmosphere and surface of Saturn's moon Titan. The images were taken a year ago in joint observations at the Keck 2 and Gemini North telescopes in Hawaii and are published this week in separate papers in the journals Nature and Astrophysical Journal. The images clearly shows methane clouds forming over Titan's south pole in a manner similar to thunderstorm clouds on Earth. Other images also show surface features, including a bright "continent" seen in past images that is surrounded by darker areas that may be either ethane seas or tar-covered lowlands. The images, capable of resolving features as small as 300 kilometers across, are considered the best views yet of Saturn's largest moon.
A new set of images released Wednesday offer the best view yet of the atmosphere and surface of Saturn's moon Titan. The images were taken a year ago in joint observations at the Keck 2 and Gemini North telescopes in Hawaii and are published this week in separate papers in the journals Nature and Astrophysical Journal. The images clearly shows methane clouds forming over Titan's south pole in a manner similar to thunderstorm clouds on Earth. Other images also show surface features, including a bright "continent" seen in past images that is surrounded by darker areas that may be either ethane seas or tar-covered lowlands. The images, capable of resolving features as small as 300 kilometers across, are considered the best views yet of Saturn's largest moon.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
NASA to launch Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope in September
Posted: Sat, Apr 25 10:54 AM ET (1454 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Friday, May 1
FCC Adopts New Satellite Spectrum Sharing Rules
Broadband Breakfast — 6:04 am ET (1004 GMT) New FCC Rules Could Mean 'Sevenfold' Capacity Increase for Starlink
PC Magazine — 6:03 am ET (1003 GMT) Space Command moves into first Redstone building
Axios — 6:01 am ET (1001 GMT) Sierra Space Elects Retired Lieutenant General John E. Shaw to Board of Directors
PR Newswire — 6:01 am ET (1001 GMT) Spacecom Takes Operational Control of Facility in Alabama
US Dept. of Defense — 6:01 am ET (1001 GMT) |
