Photojournal: Waves in Saturn's A Ring

[RJN]

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA12434

[bystander]

Saturn's Rings Have Gone Plaid
Universe Today - 2010 Feb 09


Saturn's plaid rings. NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

Are Saturn's rings spinning at ludicrous speeds? It appears they have gone plaid! The Cassini spacecraft has actually spied two types of waves in Saturn's A ring: a spiral density wave on the left of the image and a more pronounced spiral bending wave near the middle. And the "plaid" look comes from the slight pixelation visible near the brightest and darkest lines, which the Cassini team says is an unavoidable result of the size of the camera's sensor and of image processing.

Barf: [Spaceball 1 roars by them, in a plaid colouration of speed] Aah!
Barf: What the hell was that?
Lonestar: Spaceball 1.
Barf: They've gone to plaid!