Explanation: Are they gone? They were not originally predicted to even be there. The mystery revolves around strange shadow-like spokes that appeared on Saturn's large B-ring, the large middle ring in the complex system of particles that orbits Saturn. The spokes were discovered 23 years ago by the passing Voyager spacecraft and attributed to very fine dust of unknown origin. The missing spokes were noted in the above image, taken last month, from the robot Cassini spacecraft now approaching Saturn. Launched in 1997, the distance remaining between Cassini and Saturn is now less than half that between the Earth and the Sun. Cassini is expected to enter orbit around the ringed Jovian giant planet in July and drop a probe onto Titan, Saturn's largest moon.

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Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.

Publikacii s klyuchevymi slovami: Saturn - KA Kassini - kol'ca Saturna - Voyadzher - Titan Publikacii so slovami: Saturn - KA Kassini - kol'ca Saturna - Voyadzher - Titan
Sm. takzhe: Saturn noch'yu Luna zatmevaet Saturn Saturn u kraya Luny Semeinyi portret Solnechnoi sistemy Cveta Saturna ot "Kassini" Polumesyac Encelada Vremena goda na Saturne Vse publikacii na tu zhe temu >>