http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/space_time/saturn/ Saturn News. Learn all about Saturn. Read astronomy articles on Saturn's ring spokes, Saturn's moons, even Titan's sand dunes. Pictures. en-us Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:05:01 EST Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/space_time/saturn/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091108214703.htm The Cassini spacecraft has weathered the Monday, Nov. 2, flyby of Saturn's moon Enceladus in good health and has been sending images and data of the encounter back to Earth. Cassini had approached Enceladus more closely before, but this passage took the spacecraft on its deepest plunge yet through the heart of the plume shooting out from the south polar region. Scientists are eagerly sifting through the results. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091108214703.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091023163519.htm As Saturn's rings orbit the planet, a section is typically in the planet's shadow, experiencing a brief night lasting from 6 to 14 hours. However, once approximately every 15 years, night falls over the entire visible ring system for about four days. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091023163519.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016101807.htm The solar system, as defined by the heliosphere, the region of the sun's influence, may have a quite different shape than scientists had thought. Sun, 18 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016101807.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006205610.htm NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has discovered an enormous ring around Saturn -- by far the largest of the giant planet's many rings. Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006205610.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915202244.htm Scientists are presenting the first results of a global analysis of spatial patterns, occurrence and origin of river channels on Saturn's moon Titan. Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915202244.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090921174323.htm NASA scientists are marveling over the extent of ruffles and dust clouds revealed in the rings of Saturn during the planet's equinox last month. Scientists once thought the rings were almost completely flat, but new images reveal the heights of some newly discovered bumps in the rings are as high as the Rocky Mountains. Wed, 23 Sep 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090921174323.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090914111821.htm Scientists using the Cassini spacecraft's Magnetospheric Imaging instrument (MIMI) have detected a new, temporary radiation belt at Saturn, located around the orbit of its moon Dione at about 377,000 km from the center of the planet. Mon, 21 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090914111821.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090914202157.htm A powerful lightning storm in Saturn’s atmosphere that began in mid-January 2009 has become the Solar System’s longest continuously observed thunderstorm. It broke the record duration of 7.5 months set by another thunderstorm observed on Saturn by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft between November 2007 and July 2008. Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090914202157.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090908132944.htm Since its discovery by Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens in 1655, Saturn's most massive moon, Titan, has been known as a place of mystery and intrigue. The large, cloud-enshrouded moon is such a scientific enigma that for the past five years, it has been targeted by NASAs Cassini spacecraft with more than 60 probing flybys. One of its latest findings could be a valuable asset to future generations of space explorers hunting for materials to whip up a Labor Day barbecue. Tue, 08 Sep 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090908132944.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810034048.htm Thanks to a special play of sunlight and shadow as Saturn continues its march towards its August 11 equinox, recent images captured by NASA's Cassini spacecraft are revealing new three-dimensional objects and structures in the planet's otherwise flat rings. Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810034048.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810034212.htm In 1918, magician extraordinaire Harry Houdini created a sensation when he made a 10,000 pound elephant disappear before a mystified audience of over 5,200 at New York's famed Hippodrome theatre. But a vanishing pachyderm is nothing compared to the magnificent illusion to be performed by our solar system's own sixth rock from the sun on Aug. 11. On that day, the planet Saturn, with no help from either Jupiter or Uranus, will make its 170,000-mile-wide ring system disappear. Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810034212.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090804125030.htm Data collected during two close flybys of Saturn's moon Enceladus by NASA's Cassini spacecraft add more fuel to the fire about the Saturnian ice world containing sub-surface liquid water. Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090804125030.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090729145728.htm A new way of detecting how fast large gaseous planets are rotating suggests Saturn's day lasts 10 hours, 34 minutes and 13 seconds -- over five minutes shorter than previous estimates that were based on the planet's magnetic fields. Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090729145728.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090603181402.htm Cloud chasers studying Saturn's moon Titan say its clouds form and move much like those on Earth, but in a much slower, more lingering fashion. Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090603181402.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090422085841.htm A team of planetary scientists working on the NASA/ESA/ASI Cassini-Huygens mission has discovered tiny, charged icy particles in the plume from Saturn’s moon Enceladus that offer a tantalising glimpse of the interior of this enigmatic world. Sat, 25 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090422085841.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090406091234.htm Saturn's largest moon, Titan, may have a subterranean ocean of hydrocarbons and some topsy-turvy topography in which the summits of its mountains lie lower than its average surface elevation, according to new research. Titan is also more squashed in its overall shape -- like a rubber ball pressed down by a foot -- than researchers had expected. Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090406091234.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090328163312.htm New movies and images from Cassini of Saturn's moon Titan are providing a bird's-eye view of the moon's Earth-like landscapes. Sun, 29 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090328163312.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090317125224.htm A new Hubble Space Telescope image shows four of Saturn's moons circling the ringed planet. Sun, 22 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090317125224.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090303125120.htm NASA's Cassini spacecraft has found within Saturn's G ring an embedded moonlet that appears as a faint, moving pinprick of light. Scientists believe it is a main source of the G ring and its single ring arc. Cassini imaging scientists analyzing images acquired over the course of about 600 days found the tiny moonlet, half a kilometer (about a third of a mile) across, embedded within a partial ring, or ring arc, previously found by Cassini in Saturn's tenuous G ring. Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090303125120.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090302111328.htm Titan's vast dune fields, which may act like weather vanes to determine general wind direction on Saturn's biggest moon, have been mapped by scientists who compiled four years of radar data collected by the Cassini spacecraft. Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090302111328.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090218132427.htm At a recent meeting in Washington, NASA and European Space Agency officials decided to continue pursuing studies of a mission to Jupiter and its four largest moons, and to plan for another potential mission to visit Saturn's largest moon Titan and Enceladus. Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090218132427.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090129182514.htm Recent images of Titan from NASA's Cassini spacecraft affirm the presence of lakes of liquid hydrocarbons by capturing changes in the lakes brought on by rainfall. Fri, 30 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090129182514.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081215194801.htm The closer scientists look at Saturn's small moon Enceladus, the more they find evidence of an active world. The most recent flybys of Enceladus made by NASA's Cassini spacecraft have provided new signs of ongoing changes on and around the moon. The latest high-resolution images of Enceladus show signs that the south polar surface changes over time. Sun, 21 Dec 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081215194801.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081215194108.htm Data collected during several recent flybys of Titan by NASA's Cassini spacecraft have put another arrow in the quiver of scientists who think the Saturnian moon contains active cryovolcanoes spewing a super-chilled liquid into its atmosphere. The information was released today during a meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco, Calif. Tue, 16 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081215194108.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081126133405.htm Saturn's moon may have underground water which is spewing plumes of water vapor into space through geysers. Scientists found that the source of plumes on Enceladus may be vents on the moon that channel water vapor from a warm, probably liquid source to the surface at supersonic speeds. Thu, 27 Nov 2008 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081126133405.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081112142129.htm Saturn has its own unique brand of aurora that lights up the polar cap, unlike any other planetary aurora known in our solar system. This odd aurora revealed itself to one of the infrared instruments on NASA's Cassini spacecraft. Thu, 13 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081112142129.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081013124220.htm New images from NASA's Cassini spacecraft reveal a giant cyclone at Saturn's north pole, and show that a similarly monstrous cyclone churning at Saturn's south pole is powered by Earth-like storm patterns. Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081013124220.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081012171113.htm Cracking the secrets of the atmosphere of Titan, Saturn's mysterious moon, and how planetary atmospheres evolve, have come a step closer after evaluation of data from a successful fly-by of its surface by the Cassini spacecraft. Mon, 13 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081012171113.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081006180819.htm NASA's Cassini spacecraft is scheduled to fly within 16 miles of Saturn's moon Enceladus on Oct. 9 and measure molecules in its space environment that could give insight into the history of the solar system. Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081006180819.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080923084543.htm Observations from NASA's Cassini spacecraft have been used to build, for the first time, a 3-D picture of the sources of intense radio emissions in Saturn's magnetic field, known as the Saturn Kilometric Radiation. Sun, 05 Oct 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080923084543.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080922193648.htm Saturn’s rings may be more massive than previously thought, and potentially much older, according to calculations that simulate colliding particles in Saturn’s rings and their erosion by meteorites. These results support the possibility that Saturn’s rings formed billions of years ago, perhaps at the time when giant impacts excavated the great basins on the Moon. The findings also suggest that giant exoplanets may also commonly have rings. Tue, 23 Sep 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080922193648.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080908092951.htm NASA's Cassini spacecraft has detected a faint, partial ring orbiting with one small moon of Saturn, and has confirmed the presence of another partial ring orbiting with a second moon.  This is further evidence that most of the planet's small, inner moons orbit within partial or complete rings. Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080908092951.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080814220113.htm In a feat of interplanetary sharpshooting, NASA's Cassini spacecraft has pinpointed precisely where the icy jets erupt from the surface of Saturn's geologically active moon Enceladus. New carefully targeted pictures reveal exquisite details in the prominent south polar "tiger stripe" fractures from which the jets emanate. Fri, 15 Aug 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080814220113.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080812100324.htm The Cassini spacecraft has begun sending data to Earth following a close flyby of Saturn's moon Enceladus. During closest approach, Cassini successfully passed only 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the surface of the tiny moon. Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080812100324.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080730140726.htm Scientists have confirmed that at least one body in our solar system, other than Earth, has a surface liquid lake. Using an instrument on NASA's Cassini orbiter, they discovered that a lake-like feature in the south polar region of Saturn's moon, Titan, is truly wet. The lake is about 235 kilometers, or 150 miles, long. Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080730140726.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080729075117.htm Physicists have developed a procedure for analyzing specific data sent by the Huygens probe from Titan, the largest of Saturn's moons, "unequivocally" proving that there is natural electrical activity in its atmosphere. The scientific community believe that the probability of organic molecules, precursors of life, being formed is higher on planets or moons which have an atmosphere with electrical storms. Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080729075117.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080628223103.htm NASA's Cassini mission is closing one chapter of its journey at Saturn and embarking on a new one with a two-year mission that will address new questions and bring it closer to two of its most intriguing targets -- Titan and Enceladus. Sun, 29 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080628223103.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080605095627.htm A team of scientists has discovered that the rapid changes in Saturn's F ring can be attributed to small moonlets causing perturbations. Their results are reported in Nature. Saturn's F ring has long been of interest to scientists as its features change on timescales from hours to years and it is probably the only location in the solar system where large scale collisions happen on a daily basis. Fri, 06 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080605095627.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429174658.htm As a powerful electrical storm rages on Saturn with lightning bolts 10,000 times more powerful than those found on Earth, the Cassini spacecraft continues its five-month watch over the dramatic events. Scientists with NASA's Cassini-Huygens mission have been tracking the visibly bright, lightning-generating storm--the longest continually observed electrical storm ever monitored by Cassini. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429174658.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080415133647.htm NASA is extending the international Cassini-Huygens mission by two years. The historic spacecraft's stunning discoveries and images have revolutionized our knowledge of Saturn and its moons. Cassini's mission originally had been scheduled to end in July 2008. The newly-announced two-year extension will include 60 additional orbits of Saturn and more flybys of its exotic moons. These will include 26 flybys of Titan, seven of Enceladus, and one each of Dione, Rhea and Helene. The extension also includes studies of Saturn's rings, its complex magnetosphere, and the planet itself. Thu, 17 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080415133647.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326151729.htm NASA's Cassini spacecraft tasted and sampled a surprising organic brew erupting in geyser-like fashion from Saturn's moon Enceladus during a close flyby on March 12. Scientists are amazed that this tiny moon is so active, "hot" and brimming with water vapor and organic chemicals. Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326151729.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080320150828.htm NASA's Cassini spacecraft has discovered evidence that points to the existence of an underground ocean of water and ammonia on Saturn's moon Titan. The findings made using radar measurements of Titan's rotation will appear in the March 21 issue of the journal Science. Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080320150828.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080313213204.htm NASA's Cassini spacecraft performed a daring flyby of Saturn's moon Enceladus on March 12, flying about 15 kilometers per second (32,000 mph) through icy water geyser-like jets. The spacecraft snatched up precious samples that might point to a water ocean or organics inside the little moon. Fri, 14 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080313213204.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080310171102.htm NASA's Cassini spacecraft will make an unprecedented "in your face" flyby of Saturn's moon Enceladus on Wed., March 12. The spacecraft, orchestrating its closest approach to date, will skirt along the edges of huge Old-Faithful-like geysers erupting from giant fractures on the south pole of Enceladus. Cassini will sample scientifically valuable water-ice, dust and gas in the plume. The source of the geysers is of great interest to scientists who think liquid water, perhaps even an ocean, may exist in the area. Tue, 11 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080310171102.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306160209.htm NASA's Cassini spacecraft has found evidence of material orbiting Rhea, Saturn's second largest moon. This is the first time rings may have been found around a moon. A broad debris disk and at least one ring appear to have been detected by a suite of six instruments on Cassini specifically designed to study the atmospheres and particles around Saturn and its moons. Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306160209.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080220195614.htm Gaps in the soup of high energy particles near the orbits of two of Saturn's tiny moons indicate that Saturn may be surrounded by undiscovered, near-invisible partial rings. And, the larger Saturnian moons may not be the only ones contributing material to Saturn's ring system. Mon, 25 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080220195614.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080222112324.htm An enormous plume of dust and water spurts violently into space from the south pole of Enceladus, Saturn's sixth-largest moon. This raging eruption has intrigued scientists ever since the Cassini spacecraft provided dramatic images of the phenomenon. Now a physicist has revealed why the dust particles in the plume emerge more slowly than the water vapour escaping from the moon's icy crust. Enceladus orbits in Saturn's outermost "E" ring. It is one of only three outer solar system bodies that produce active eruptions of dust and water vapour. Moreover, aside from the Earth, Mars, and Jupiter's moon Europa, it is one of the only places in the solar system for which astronomers have direct evidence of the presence of water. Sat, 23 Feb 2008 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080222112324.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080220200045.htm Saturn's orange moon Titan has hundreds of times more liquid hydrocarbons than all the known oil and natural gas reserves on Earth, according to new data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft. The hydrocarbons rain from the sky, collecting in vast deposits that form lakes and dunes. Thu, 21 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080220200045.htm