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First Images From 50-km Enceladus Flyby

Posted by kdawson on from the over-the-shoulder-spinning dept.

CheshireCatCO writes "The first pictures from yesterday's flyby of Enceladus are now public. At closest approach, Cassini was set spinning to cancel out the apparent motion of Enceladus so as to capture unsmeared images during the 40,000-mph flyby. Although it wasn't clear that this would work (errors in pointing could easily have made the cameras miss their targets), the maneuver panned out beautifully, producing spectacular images of the surface. Images show the 'tiger stripes' at the south pole, including at least one location that has been identified as a source of a jet, as well as considerable vertical relief, easily visible thanks to the low sun-angle near the south pole at present. Processed, enhanced images should follow shortly."

14 of 95 comments (clear)

  1. A pity by WetCat · · Score: 3, Funny

    I see no towns and roads...

    1. Re:A pity by OldManAndTheC++ · · Score: 4, Funny

      Patience dude, Google Street View hasn't even finished Mars yet!

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    2. Re:A pity by RuBLed · · Score: 3, Funny

      You are too optimistic. (you heard me right) I suggest you look carefully at the pictures because of the obvious visibility of off-road SUV tracks. There is also some kind of a silhouette on the 5th picture, it looks like a man, possibly Elvis.

    3. Re:A pity by Teun · · Score: 4, Funny
      I assume you prefer your food raw.

      http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/08/12/2036254

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      "The likes of Facebook and WhatsApp are free to those whose privacy is of zero value."
    4. Re:A pity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Think about how many bibles you could have sent to Iraq with that Cassini money!

      Spreading the good news is more important than peeping dead space rocks.

      Isn't it?

  2. Re:science and perspective, and what a pity by TapeCutter · · Score: 3, Funny

    I for one welcome the Shrek of AC trolls.

    --
    And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
  3. Re:Why is this free? by CmdrGravy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Dude, Enceladus is actually property of the British Crown. One of the conditions of allowing you Yanks up there to take a look is that the pictures are distributed for free.

  4. "enhanced" photos by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    If you see fireworks in the photos, they are probably photoshopped.

  5. Yummy. by kiehlster · · Score: 3, Funny

    Enchiladas flyby. A dream come true. Oh wait...

  6. Re:Eat my goatse'd penis! by Ihmhi · · Score: 1, Funny

    This is sad. You have an article with the phrase "vertical relief" in it and you can't come up with anything even remotely humorous? For shame, AC... for shame.

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    Random Thoughts From A Diseased Mind (Not For Dummies)
  7. Looks like... by consonant · · Score: 3, Funny

    that's the whole Enceladus..

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  8. Re:science and perspective, and what a pity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    John? John McCain? Is that you?

  9. Re:science and perspective, and what a pity by Illbay · · Score: 2, Funny

    For comparison, this is slightly less than 1/330th the budget to-date for the American war effort in Iraq.

    However, let the record show that the photographs revealed *NO* al-Qaeda bases on Enceladus. Had there been, just imagine the cost of getting Space Marines up there to clear the place out.

    --
    Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
  10. So, does this count by hcdejong · · Score: 3, Funny

    as a drive-by shooting?