Aug 10, 2009: One of Saturn's rings damaged

Undertoad · 08-09-2009, 05:05 PM

The Discover magazine Bad Astronomy blog says it far better than I could:

Quote:

Deep in the outer realms of our solar system, well over a billion kilometers away, something bizarre happened at Saturn’s F ring.

I mean, seriously: what the hell happened here?

This is one of the latest pictures returned from the remarkable human achievement that is the Cassini spacecraft, a probe the size of a school bus that has been orbiting the ringed planet since 2004. It’s returned one incredible picture after another, and lately — as Saturn’s orbit has brought it to a point where the rings are nearly edge-on to the Sun — things have gotten not only spectacular but also really weird.
...
It’s not exactly clear what’s going on here, even in this slightly zoomed shot. But it looks for all the world - or worlds — like some small object on an inclined orbit has punched through Saturn’s narrow F ring, bursting out from underneath, and dragging behind it a wake of particles from the rings.

The blog entry goes on to be very excited, because it's not easy to explain the event. Why does the thing apparently drag so much of the ring along with it? Why is the drag brighter at the bottom?

We don't know how often this sort of thing happens, because we haven't been watching all that long. I guess after it's all been analyzed, we'll have a clearer understanding of the rings. Who knew they were made of gelatin?

Pie · 08-09-2009, 06:40 PM

It's like the elastic in underwear. Looks like something snagged there.

casimendocina · 08-09-2009, 07:00 PM

Does anyone have any ideas about what the implications might be? Do they matter or is it just knowledge building?

Leokins · 08-09-2009, 08:11 PM

I know! I know! It's an alien spaceship!
Somebody had to suggest it

dar512 · 08-09-2009, 08:18 PM

Oh crap!

TheMercenary · 08-09-2009, 09:09 PM

It means that the thing that hit it has now been deflected from its trajectory and is now headed straight for Philly, PA.

Elspode · 08-09-2009, 09:34 PM

Whatever it is, it is casting a shadow on the rings. Most impressive.

Footfall is one of my favorite Niven/Pournelle books.

ZenGum · 08-10-2009, 02:00 AM

SHEEEELLLLDON???!!!!

SPUCK · 08-10-2009, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elspode

Footfall is one of my favorite Niven/Pournelle books.

With the worst give away the entire book with one glance at the cover, cover.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

its trajectory and is now headed straight for Philly, PA.

Don't you mean the Hudson River?

ZenGum · 08-10-2009, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPUCK

Don't you mean the Hudson River?

He must be deep in denial.

capnhowdy · 08-10-2009, 07:29 AM

This may explain the plane/copter crash over the Hudson.

Madman · 08-10-2009, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by casimendocina

Does anyone have any ideas about what the implications might be? Do they matter or is it just knowledge building?

we're all gonna die...

2012 was a lie. The Mayans just ran out of... of... whatever they used to scrawl their fib with.

Fucking Mayans.

dar512 · 08-10-2009, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZenGum

He must be deep in denial.

You've got your geography mixed up. Denial is a river in Egypt.

OnyxCougar · 08-10-2009, 01:12 PM

[fundy]
It's a smudge from God's finger!
[/fundy]

Slothboy · 08-10-2009, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dar512

Oh crap!

My exact thought. I mean, it's even the F-Ring!

Time to build that bunker.

08-09-2009, 06:40 PM	#2
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	It's like the elastic in underwear. Looks like something snagged there. __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not. Last edited by Pie; 08-09-2009 at 07:37 PM. Reason: can't spell, damnit

08-09-2009, 08:18 PM	#5
dar512 dar512 is now Pete Zicato Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago suburb Posts: 4,968	Oh crap! __________________ "Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain." -- Friedrich Schiller

08-09-2009, 09:09 PM	#6
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	It means that the thing that hit it has now been deflected from its trajectory and is now headed straight for Philly, PA. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

08-09-2009, 09:34 PM	#7
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	Whatever it is, it is casting a shadow on the rings. Most impressive. Footfall is one of my favorite Niven/Pournelle books. __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

08-10-2009, 02:00 AM	#8
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	SHEEEELLLLDON???!!!! __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

08-09-2009, 07:00 PM	#3
casimendocina Professor Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,622	Does anyone have any ideas about what the implications might be? Do they matter or is it just knowledge building?

08-09-2009, 08:11 PM	#4
Leokins Civil Civilian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 34	I know! I know! It's an alien spaceship! Somebody had to suggest it

08-10-2009, 07:29 AM	#11
capnhowdy Blatantly Homosapien Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 6,200	This may explain the plane/copter crash over the Hudson. __________________ Please type slowly. I can't read very fast............... and no holy water, please.

08-10-2009, 01:12 PM	#14
OnyxCougar Junior Master Dwellar Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kingdom of Atlantia Posts: 2,979	[fundy] It's a smudge from God's finger! [/fundy] __________________ Impotentes defendere libertatem non possunt. "Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth." ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

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