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New Moon at Saturn Discovered
- Neill
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17 years 5 months ago #48942
by Neill
New Moon at Saturn Discovered was created by Neill
Hi all,
See below.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6908190.stm
Saturn's 60th moon is discovered
The new moon could be related to Methone and Pallene
A new moon has been discovered orbiting Saturn - bringing the planet's latest moon tally up to 60.
The body was spotted in a series of images taken by cameras onboard the Cassini spacecraft.
Initial calculations suggest the moon is about 2km-wide (1.2 miles) and its orbit sits between those of two other Saturnian moons, Methone and Pallene.
The Cassini Imaging Team, who found the object, said Saturn's moon count could rise further still.
New family
The moon appears as a dim speck in images taken by the Cassini probe's wide-angle camera on 30 May 2007.
The Saturnian system continues to amaze and intrigue us with many hidden treasures being discovered the more closely we look
Professor Carl Murray
Professor Carl Murray, a Cassini Imaging Team scientist from Queen Mary, University of London (QMUL), said: "After initially detecting this extremely faint object, we carried out an exhaustive search of all Cassini images to date and were able to find further detections."
It is thought, like many of Saturn's other moons, to be mostly made up of ice and rock.
The body's proximity to Methone and Pallene suggests the three satellites may constitute a family of moons.
"Naturally we are going to use Cassini's cameras to search for additional family members," added Professor Murray.
The moon, currently dubbed Frank by the scientists who discovered it, has yet to be officially named. This decision will be taken by the International Astronomical Union.
Professor Murray said: "The Saturnian system continues to amaze and intrigue us with many hidden treasures being discovered the more closely we look."
'Epic journey'
The Cassini-Huygens mission, a collaboration between the US space agency (Nasa), the European Space Agency (Esa) and the Italian Space Agency (ASI), set off on its mission to explore Saturnian system in 1997.
The Cassini space probe arrived at its destination in 2004, while the Huygens probe, initially carried onboard Cassini, landed on Saturn's largest moon, Titan, in 2005.
Professor Keith Mason, chief executive of the UK's Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), said: "It is amazing to think that when Cassini embarked upon its epic journey to Saturn in 1997, we only knew about 18 of its moons.
"Since then, through observations from ground based telescopes and the Cassini spacecraft, a further 42 have been identified."
Neill
See below.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6908190.stm
Saturn's 60th moon is discovered
The new moon could be related to Methone and Pallene
A new moon has been discovered orbiting Saturn - bringing the planet's latest moon tally up to 60.
The body was spotted in a series of images taken by cameras onboard the Cassini spacecraft.
Initial calculations suggest the moon is about 2km-wide (1.2 miles) and its orbit sits between those of two other Saturnian moons, Methone and Pallene.
The Cassini Imaging Team, who found the object, said Saturn's moon count could rise further still.
New family
The moon appears as a dim speck in images taken by the Cassini probe's wide-angle camera on 30 May 2007.
The Saturnian system continues to amaze and intrigue us with many hidden treasures being discovered the more closely we look
Professor Carl Murray
Professor Carl Murray, a Cassini Imaging Team scientist from Queen Mary, University of London (QMUL), said: "After initially detecting this extremely faint object, we carried out an exhaustive search of all Cassini images to date and were able to find further detections."
It is thought, like many of Saturn's other moons, to be mostly made up of ice and rock.
The body's proximity to Methone and Pallene suggests the three satellites may constitute a family of moons.
"Naturally we are going to use Cassini's cameras to search for additional family members," added Professor Murray.
The moon, currently dubbed Frank by the scientists who discovered it, has yet to be officially named. This decision will be taken by the International Astronomical Union.
Professor Murray said: "The Saturnian system continues to amaze and intrigue us with many hidden treasures being discovered the more closely we look."
'Epic journey'
The Cassini-Huygens mission, a collaboration between the US space agency (Nasa), the European Space Agency (Esa) and the Italian Space Agency (ASI), set off on its mission to explore Saturnian system in 1997.
The Cassini space probe arrived at its destination in 2004, while the Huygens probe, initially carried onboard Cassini, landed on Saturn's largest moon, Titan, in 2005.
Professor Keith Mason, chief executive of the UK's Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), said: "It is amazing to think that when Cassini embarked upon its epic journey to Saturn in 1997, we only knew about 18 of its moons.
"Since then, through observations from ground based telescopes and the Cassini spacecraft, a further 42 have been identified."
Neill
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- Seanie_Morris
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17 years 5 months ago #48947
by Seanie_Morris
I wonder at what point these little pieces of space rock will become just that - space rock, much like the rest of the debris that is currently orbiting Saturn. I mean, it has rings, which are made up of, oh, lets say half a million pieces of rock. Yet, this piece, which you'd walk right around it in about 40 minutes is classed as a satellite.
What do the rest of you think? I guess anything in the Saturnian system which exhibits an independent orbit of the ring-plane debris field could be called a moon/satellite. But identical pieces caught in the plane of the rings are called space rock. Very grey area, and one which I always find an interesting one. It's not akin to the Pluto/planetoid one, but I'd like to see what the rest of you think.
Seanie.
Midlands Astronomy Club.
Radio Presenter (Midlands 103), Space Enthusiast, Astronomy Outreach Co-ordinator.
Former IFAS Chairperson and Secretary.
Replied by Seanie_Morris on topic Re: New Moon at Saturn Discovered
Initial calculations suggest the moon is about 2km-wide (1.2 miles) and its orbit sits between those of two other Saturnian moons, Methone and Pallene.
I wonder at what point these little pieces of space rock will become just that - space rock, much like the rest of the debris that is currently orbiting Saturn. I mean, it has rings, which are made up of, oh, lets say half a million pieces of rock. Yet, this piece, which you'd walk right around it in about 40 minutes is classed as a satellite.
What do the rest of you think? I guess anything in the Saturnian system which exhibits an independent orbit of the ring-plane debris field could be called a moon/satellite. But identical pieces caught in the plane of the rings are called space rock. Very grey area, and one which I always find an interesting one. It's not akin to the Pluto/planetoid one, but I'd like to see what the rest of you think.
Seanie.
Midlands Astronomy Club.
Radio Presenter (Midlands 103), Space Enthusiast, Astronomy Outreach Co-ordinator.
Former IFAS Chairperson and Secretary.
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- michaeloconnell
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17 years 5 months ago #48949
by michaeloconnell
Replied by michaeloconnell on topic Re: New Moon at Saturn Discovered
It is starting to get a little greay at this stage Seanie, I'd have to agree. If they found a 2cm-wide pebble in orbit around Saturn, would then call that a moon too I wonder?
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- pmgisme
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17 years 5 months ago #48952
by pmgisme
Replied by pmgisme on topic Re: New Moon at Saturn Discovered
Technically speaking there is only one "moon". The Earth's.
The rest are "satellites".
The word was coined by the mathematician Johannes Kepler in the early 1600s.
Peter.
The rest are "satellites".
The word was coined by the mathematician Johannes Kepler in the early 1600s.
Peter.
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17 years 5 months ago #48953
by Seanie_Morris
Midlands Astronomy Club.
Radio Presenter (Midlands 103), Space Enthusiast, Astronomy Outreach Co-ordinator.
Former IFAS Chairperson and Secretary.
Replied by Seanie_Morris on topic Re: New Moon at Saturn Discovered
That you're right Peter.
Midlands Astronomy Club.
Radio Presenter (Midlands 103), Space Enthusiast, Astronomy Outreach Co-ordinator.
Former IFAS Chairperson and Secretary.
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- artyfarty
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17 years 5 months ago #48954
by artyfarty
An interesting article on this very subject What is a Moon? Definition Lags Behind Soaring Satellite Tally
Replied by artyfarty on topic Re: New Moon at Saturn Discovered
It is starting to get a little greay at this stage Seanie, I'd have to agree. If they found a 2cm-wide pebble in orbit around Saturn, would then call that a moon too I wonder?
An interesting article on this very subject What is a Moon? Definition Lags Behind Soaring Satellite Tally
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