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Cassini Shows Close Up of Iapetus

Posted by michael on from the looks-rocky dept.

dazza101 writes "The Cassini spacecraft passed within 72,000 kms of the Saturn moon Iapetus yesterday, taking a series of spectacular images of this intriguing moons rugged surface. An excellent prelude to what promises to be one of the major stories of the new year, the plunge of the Huygens probe into Titan's atmosphere on January 24."

16 of 156 comments (clear)

  1. If that's no space station, what is it? by IO+ERROR · · Score: 4, Funny
    Iapetus doesn't concern me. What concerns me is Mimas, which has a clearly visible crater with a mountain inside it.

    I have a hard time believing that's a natural formation. And I'm concerned that whatever did it might still be bouncing around the universe somewhere.

    Anyone have any idea what could have caused a formation like that?

    --
    How am I supposed to fit a pithy, relevant quote into 120 characters?
    1. Re:If that's no space station, what is it? by Scoria · · Score: 2, Funny

      I have a hard time believing that's a natural formation. And I'm concerned that whatever did it might still be bouncing around the universe somewhere.

      We should only be concerned about Europa.

      --
      Do you like German cars?
    2. Re:If that's no space station, what is it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Yep, that's a moon alright.

    3. Re:If that's no space station, what is it? by The+Journalist · · Score: 5, Funny

      Cheney should be very worried now. NASA's found his prototype Death Star.

    4. Re:If that's no space station, what is it? by Arngautr · · Score: 2, Funny
      Anyone have any idea what could have caused a formation like that?

      A meteorite.

    5. Re:If that's no space station, what is it? by dukerobinson · · Score: 2, Funny

      that is clearly the moon's "primary weapon" obviously this station has gone long unused as it is covered in "space dust"

  2. Cassini Hyugens by metlin · · Score: 3, Funny

    Cassini Hyugens sounds like the name of a Scandinavian supermodel or something.

    And here I was hoping for some spectacular pictures :-(

    What do I see? Big round thing with holes. Different, but not the way I imagined :-/

  3. Does anyone else notice... by s7726 · · Score: 1, Funny

    Did anyone else notice the fact that the main picture looks like any other picture of the earth's moon?

  4. Not fair, not square. by Pig+Hogger · · Score: 4, Funny
    Something's missing, like big, square, black thin block.

    (No, you won't get it if you didn't read the book).

  5. Wow!! by boomgopher · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yikes, everyone take a look at this one:
    Amazing detail photo

    Can't wait for others of this caliber!!`~ Made me weep!!



    (it's a joke son)

    --
    Your hybrid is not saving the environment. Its purpose is to make you feel good about buying something.
    1. Re:Wow!! by eam77 · · Score: 1, Funny

      Perhaps they should send that photo to CSI, they have amazing digital photography enhancement capabilities.

  6. Bah... by el-spectre · · Score: 4, Funny

    Call me when they find a monolith...

    --
    "Faith: Belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel." - A.B.
  7. Re:Nasa needs better cameras. by daquake · · Score: 2, Funny

    Heh, if you have a webcam that can withstand solar radiation, temperature extremes, and run for 7 years with no problems, I'd ebay it :P

    --
    Be True, Unbeliever
  8. Hyugens by dj245 · · Score: 2, Funny
    Cassini Hyugens sounds like the name of a Scandinavian supermodel or something.

    10 Geek points for sucessfully pronouncing "Hyugens"! Bonus if you can also pronounce "Reuters" sucessfully.

    --
    Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress at this period in history.
  9. Re:WRONG DATE !!! Huygens descends on the 14th. by eclectro · · Score: 4, Funny


    Actually submitter is right.

    The probe does descend into the atmosphere on Jan 14th, but it takes an additional 10 days to photoshop the results.

    --
    Take the cheese to sickbay, the doctor should see it as soon as possible - B'Elanna Torres, "Learning Curve"
  10. Re:Iapetus by Guppy06 · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Why do we name everything using greek mythology?"

    Because Galileo got frist p0st.