Cassini-Huygens is going to Saturn

[SirUlli]

latest News

25 December 2004 ESA PR 67-2004. The European Space Agency?s Huygens probe was successfully released by NASA?s Cassini orbiter early this morning and is now on a controlled collision course toward Saturn?s largest and most mysterious moon, Titan, where on 14 January it will make a descent through one of the most intriguing atmospheres in the solar system to an unknown surface.

more Info

at ESA

at Space.com

at Nasa

at Spacefligth.now

only for Info

and Splash, Thud, or Whimper? Cassini's Huygens Probe Rendezvous with Titan

Sir Ulli

 

[networkman]

I think I read correctly that the onboard battery on the probe is probably only going to last about 3 hours though. 🙁 Let's just hope it survives the touchdown..or splush-down as it may be, and is able to transmit properly. 🙂

 

[FlameDeer]

Very infomative link to Cassini Saturn Exploration Project. 🙂

 

[SirUlli]

How did life begin billions of years ago? Huygens is a miniature laboratory that will analyze the chemistry of Titan and reveal its secrets, helping scientists to think afresh about the origins of life on Earth. This daring voyage takes us back four billion years to the primordial Earth? Find out more in VideoTalk

look at this very interesting Video

VideoTalk: Clues to how life began

and dont forget the 14.01 ....

Sir Ulli

 

[amdxborg]

Thanx SirUlli! 😀

This is very interesting stuff, can't wait for the touchdown!

 

[Assimilator1]

Are we there yet? 😉 (ok I meant 'is it there yet'😛)

I really hope its able to transmit back from Titan ,should be really interesting🙂

 

[SirUlli]

Huygens-Countdown Day -2:

Virtual visit to ESA's Spacecraft Operations Centre

11 January 2005 Scientists are starting to gather at ESA's Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany, ready for Huygens' descent to Titan on Friday, 14 January. Visit ESOC through our new virtual tour and keep an eye on events in the Main Control Room via our live webcam.

ESOC Virtual Tour

ESA Live Web-Cam

Sir Ulli

 

[Assimilator1]

Just a couple of days now🙂

 

[amdxborg]

I can't wait! Hope they find some cool stuff! 😀

 

[SirUlli]

Saturn, all night long

On Thursday, January 13th, Saturn will be 750 million miles from Earth--the closest we get to the ringed planet this year.

January 12, 2005: When the sun sets on Thursday, January 13th, a golden star will rise in the east. Soaring overhead at midnight, it will be up all night long, beautiful and eye-catching.

That "star" is Saturn.

January 13th is a special date for Saturn because that's when it is closest to Earth: only 750 million miles away, compared to a maximum distance of almost a billion miles. This makes the ringed planet unusually big and bright.

An astronomer would say "Saturn is at opposition" because Saturn and the sun are on opposite sides of the sky. Earth and Saturn are closest together at opposition; see the figure below. The sun, Earth and Saturn are lined up in a straight line with Earth in the middle. This happens every 13 months, approximately. The 2005 opposition of Saturn is so perfect that, if you were on Saturn, you would see Earth transiting the face of the Sun.

To find Saturn, step outside around 7:30 p.m. local time and face east. The planet is easy to see almost halfway up the sky next to Castor and Pollux in the constellation Gemini.

Got a telescope? Point it at Saturn. Even a small department-store 'scope will show the planet's rings. They are breathtaking. You might also notice a little pinprick of light near Saturn. That's Titan, Saturn's largest moon.

The European Space Agency's (ESA's) Huygens probe will attempt to land on Titan on January 14th. With hypothesized methane rain, gasoline seas, hot lightning and icy mountains, Titan could be the weirdest world in the solar system. Or not. No one knows because dense orange clouds hide the giant moon's surface. If Huygens survives its bold descent, we'll soon find out what's down there. Good luck ESA!

Saturn, all night long

Sir Ulli