by neufer » Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:47 am
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090415.html
<<Explanation: What's causing unusual jagged shadows on Saturn's rings? No one is yet sure. As Saturn nears equinox, its rings increasingly show only their thin edge to the Earth and Sun. As a result, Saturn's moons now commonly cast long shadows onto the rings. An example of this is the elongated vertical shadow of Mimas seen on the above right. The series of shorter, jagged shadows that run diagonally, however, are more unusual. Now Saturn's rings have been known to be made of particles for hundreds of years, but these particles have so far escaped direct imaging. It is therefore particularly exciting that a preliminary hypothesis holds that these jagged shadows are silhouettes of transient groups of ring particles (
at the inner edge of the Cassini division) temporarily held close by their own gravity.>>
--------------------------------------------
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimas_(moon) wrote:
<<
Mimas is responsible for clearing the material from the Cassini Division, the gap between Saturn's two widest rings, A ring and B ring.
Particles at the inner edge of the Cassini division are in a 2:1 resonance with Mimas. They orbit twice for each orbit of Mimas. The repeated pulls by Mimas on the Cassini division particles, always in the same direction in space, force them into new orbits outside the gap.>>
--------------------------------------------
The Emperor: [In the throne room, Luke is watching the Imperial fleet attack the Rebels from the huge throne room window] As you can see, my young apprentice, your friends have failed. Now witness the firepower of this fully ARMED and OPERATIONAL battle station!
[the Emperor hits the comlink switch on his throne]
The Emperor: Fire
at the inner edge of the Cassini division, Commander!
Moff Jerjerrod: [In the Death Star's firing room, a group of hooded Imperial gunners starts priming the Death Star's superlaser. A series of tones signify that the weapon is ready] Fire!
[a second gunner hits a switch, and a huge laser beam roars down a firing shaft. The outer surface of the Death Star shows a huge laser dish start to develop, and then a titanic laser beam moves out from the Death Star's superlaser. It hits the
at the inner edge of the Cassini division and vaporizes huge sections in less than a second]
Lando Calrissian: That blast came from the Death Star! That thing's operational!
[b] http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090415.html[/b]
<<Explanation: What's causing unusual jagged shadows on Saturn's rings? No one is yet sure. As Saturn nears equinox, its rings increasingly show only their thin edge to the Earth and Sun. As a result, Saturn's moons now commonly cast long shadows onto the rings. An example of this is the elongated vertical shadow of Mimas seen on the above right. The series of shorter, jagged shadows that run diagonally, however, are more unusual. Now Saturn's rings have been known to be made of particles for hundreds of years, but these particles have so far escaped direct imaging. It is therefore particularly exciting that a preliminary hypothesis holds that these jagged shadows are silhouettes of transient groups of ring particles ([b]at the inner edge of the Cassini division[/b]) temporarily held close by their own gravity.>>
--------------------------------------------
[quote=" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimas_(moon)"]
<<[b]Mimas[/b] is responsible for clearing the material from the Cassini Division, the gap between Saturn's two widest rings, A ring and B ring. [b]Particles at the inner edge of the Cassini division are in a 2:1 resonance with Mimas[/b]. They orbit twice for each orbit of Mimas. The repeated pulls by Mimas on the Cassini division particles, always in the same direction in space, force them into new orbits outside the gap.>>[/quote]--------------------------------------------
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Mimas_moon.jpg[/img]
The Emperor: [In the throne room, Luke is watching the Imperial fleet attack the Rebels from the huge throne room window] As you can see, my young apprentice, your friends have failed. Now witness the firepower of this fully ARMED and OPERATIONAL battle station!
[the Emperor hits the comlink switch on his throne]
The Emperor: Fire [b]at the inner edge of the Cassini division[/b], Commander!
Moff Jerjerrod: [In the Death Star's firing room, a group of hooded Imperial gunners starts priming the Death Star's superlaser. A series of tones signify that the weapon is ready] Fire!
[a second gunner hits a switch, and a huge laser beam roars down a firing shaft. The outer surface of the Death Star shows a huge laser dish start to develop, and then a titanic laser beam moves out from the Death Star's superlaser. It hits the [b]at the inner edge of the Cassini division[/b] and vaporizes huge sections in less than a second]
Lando Calrissian: That blast came from the Death Star! That thing's operational!