Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Strange New Objects Seen In Saturn's Rings

Posted by Soulskill on from the cue-monolith-jokes dept.

Every 15 Earth years, Saturn has its equinox — the time during which its rotational axis is perpendicular to the rays from the sun, so that the sun is always directly "overhead" of Saturn's equator. This is significant because Saturn's rings orbit over the equator, so during the equinox, light from the sun hits them edge-on. This means that any objects wider than the rings, or orbiting above or below them, cast long shadows and are much easier to see. For the first time, we're able to get detailed images of these objects, thanks to Cassini. A moonlet, perhaps 1,300 feet in diameter, has been discovered in the B-ring, and the Bad Astronomy blog points out another object that seems to be bursting through the F-ring. Quoting: "The upward-angled structure is definitely real, as witnessed by the shadow it's casting on the ring material to the lower left. And what's with the bright patch right where this object seems to have slammed into the rings? Did it shatter millions of icy particles, revealing their shinier interior material, making them brighter? Clearly, something awesome and amazing happened here.

7 of 113 comments (clear)

  1. LoL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    First

  2. I like getting ripped off by my insurance co by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    I like getting ripped off by my insurance company because I'm a fucking retard.

    Obama is Hitler for valuing human life over insurance company profits.

    I'm scared and dumb because I'm a fucking retard who listens to right wing hypocrites.

    1. Re:I like getting ripped off by my insurance co by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      I like getting ripped off by my insurance company because I'm a fucking retard.

      Obama is Hitler for valuing human life over insurance company profits.

      I'm scared and dumb because I'm a fucking retard who listens to right wing hypocrites.

      the funny thing is you can see how the "other guy" or the "other side" is bought and paid for. well that's not the funny part. the funny part is that you think "your guy" is any different. look if it's a politician and it's identified with either major party, it's bought and paid for and it does NOT represent you. please stop feeding the lie that the fault is with the candidates. it is not. the fault lies with the entire system and THAT'S why we don't get good candidates who are willing to go back to a less powerful government.

    2. Re:I like getting ripped off by my insurance co by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      They're both bad, huh?

      I don't buy it. The less Republicans we have in power, the better off we will be.

      This has been proven over and over, even if some people never learn.

    3. Re:I like getting ripped off by my insurance co by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      This has been proven over and over [citation needed], even if some people never learn.

      Fixed that for you.

    4. Re:I like getting ripped off by my insurance co by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      Let's face it - Obama doesn't give a shit about you. Congress doesn't give a shit about you. It is not their job. They give a shit about getting reelected. And they care about filling their pockets with money just as much as the insurance companies do.
      Quote for today: "Government governs best when it governs least" - Thomas Jefferson

    5. Re:I like getting ripped off by my insurance co by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      The insurance companies don't give a shit about me. They take my money and then make me pay my own medical bills, as if I hadn't already been paying them.

      Barack Obama cares a whole lot more about me than these stingy right wing lunatics ever will.

      That's because liberals give a shit about their fellow man, while Republians just try to trick their fellow man in to voting against their own interests.