|
Explanation: What causes the patterns in Saturn's rings? The Cassini spacecraft just entering orbit around Saturn has started sending back spectacular images of Saturn's immense ring system in unprecedented detail. The physical cause for many of newly resolved ring structures is not always understood. The cause for the beautifully geometric type of ring structure shown above in Saturn's A ring, however, is hypothesized to be a spiral density wave. A small moon systematically perturbing the orbits of ring particles orbiting at slightly different distances causes such a density wave bunching. Also visible on the image right is a bending wave, a vertical wave in ring particles also caused by the gravity of a nearby moon. This close-up spans about 220 kilometers. Cassini is scheduled to take and send back images of the distant ringed Saturn and its unusual moons for the next four years.
|
January February March April May June July August September October November December |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Saturn - cassini spacecraft
Publications with words: Saturn - cassini spacecraft
See also:
- APOD: 2025 February 23 B Saturn in Infrared from Cassini
- APOD: 2025 January 19 B Titan Touchdown: Huygens Descent Movie
- APOD: 2024 December 8 B Aurora around Saturns North Pole
- Saturn at Night
- APOD: 2024 August 27 B Moon Eclipses Saturn
- APOD: 2024 June 23 B The Colors of Saturn from Cassini
- Crescent Enceladus