What comet would you say it looks just like?swimmerscott1956 wrote:I think it is a comet that was captured by Saturn's gravity, and has reached a thermodynamic state of equilibrium where no more outgassing is possible at this time. It looks just like pictures of the other comets from the last ten years or so.
APOD: Saturns Hyperion: A Moon with Odd... (2013 Jun 30)
- geckzilla
- Ocular Digitator
- Posts: 9180
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:42 pm
- Location: Modesto, CA
- Contact:
Re: APOD: Saturns Hyperion: A Moon with Odd... (2013 Jun 30)
Just call me "geck" because "zilla" is like a last name.
Re: APOD: Saturns Hyperion: A Moon with Odd... (2013 Jun 30)
Personally I don't see any dark material in the craters, just very deep funnel like craters with ordinary shadows.
Re: APOD: Saturns Hyperion: A Moon with Odd... (2013 Jun 30)
Full agreement on captured comet. Additionally most of the 'craters' look to me shaped more like rocket nozzles, as you might expect pressurized outflow gasses to create. Further, I cannot think of craters forming this pattern or these angles of impact.swimmerscott1956 wrote:I think it is a comet that was captured by Saturn's gravity, and has reached a thermodynamic state of equilibrium where no more outgassing is possible at this time. It looks just like pictures of the other comets from the last ten years or so.
- Chris Peterson
- Abominable Snowman
- Posts: 18573
- Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:13 pm
- Location: Guffey, Colorado, USA
- Contact:
Re: APOD: Saturns Hyperion: A Moon with Odd... (2013 Jun 30)
It's very large for a comet, and it's location and low inclination argue against a capture. It seems more likely to me that we're looking at an original moon, altered by a collision. A body need not be a comet to show evidence of venting; many of Saturn's moons are icy bodies, similar in some respects to comets.zoomer wrote:Full agreement on captured comet. Additionally most of the 'craters' look to me shaped more like rocket nozzles, as you might expect pressurized outflow gasses to create. Further, I cannot think of craters forming this pattern or these angles of impact.
Chris
*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
https://www.cloudbait.com
*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
https://www.cloudbait.com
Re: APOD: Saturns Hyperion: A Moon with Odd... (2013 Jun 30)
driving a windshield thru a sandstorm.
Wolf Kotenberg
- neufer
- Vacationer at Tralfamadore
- Posts: 18805
- Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:57 pm
- Location: Alexandria, Virginia
Re: APOD: Saturns Hyperion: A Moon with Odd... (2013 Jun 30)
Also note that with chaotic rotation Hyperion currently undergoes considerable tidal stretching as compared with tidally locked/low eccentricity moons. This produces strong internal heating as compared with the external heating of a comet.Chris Peterson wrote:It's very large for a comet, and it's location and low inclination argue against a capture. It seems more likely to me that we're looking at an original moon, altered by a collision. A body need not be a comet to show evidence of venting; many of Saturn's moons are icy bodies, similar in some respects to comets.zoomer wrote:
Full agreement on captured comet. Additionally most of the 'craters' look to me shaped more like rocket nozzles, as you might expect pressurized outflow gasses to create. Further, I cannot think of craters forming this pattern or these angles of impact.
Art Neuendorffer
- Chris Peterson
- Abominable Snowman
- Posts: 18573
- Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:13 pm
- Location: Guffey, Colorado, USA
- Contact:
Re: APOD: Saturns Hyperion: A Moon with Odd... (2013 Jun 30)
Exactly. I'm not sure if the total heat generated is more or less with a rubble pile or a rigid body, but in either case there will be heating. And that's after any heat generated by a collision. I think there are plenty of opportunities for an icy moon to outgas similar to a comet under the right conditions.neufer wrote:Also note that with chaotic rotation Hyperion currently undergoes considerable tidal stretching as compared with tidally locked/low eccentricity moons. This produces strong internal heating as compared with the external heating of a comet.Chris Peterson wrote:It's very large for a comet, and it's location and low inclination argue against a capture. It seems more likely to me that we're looking at an original moon, altered by a collision. A body need not be a comet to show evidence of venting; many of Saturn's moons are icy bodies, similar in some respects to comets.zoomer wrote:
Full agreement on captured comet. Additionally most of the 'craters' look to me shaped more like rocket nozzles, as you might expect pressurized outflow gasses to create. Further, I cannot think of craters forming this pattern or these angles of impact.
Chris
*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
https://www.cloudbait.com
*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
https://www.cloudbait.com
Re: APOD: Saturns Hyperion: A Moon with Odd... (2013 Jun 30)
Those craters ceartainly look like cryoconite holes.
http://www.danbbs.dk/~stst/glaciologi/s ... oniteHoles
http://www.danbbs.dk/~stst/glaciologi/s ... oniteHoles