Ice Fountains Discovered on Saturns Enceladus
Explanation:
Fountains of ice shoot out from Saturn's moon Enceladus.
Clear
discovery
images
of the fountains were made using observations from the
robot Cassini spacecraft
currently orbiting
Saturn.
During a recent pass, Cassini was programmed to look back toward
the Sun where
Enceladus
would appear as a thin
crescent.
From this vantage point, particles emitted from the surface
would better show themselves by reflecting sunlight.
The tactic was successful --
the above frame shows several plumes emanating from
regions
previously known
to contain gashes in the surface dubbed
tiger stripes.
Cassini detected an increase in particle emissions from these
regions during a July flyby.
Some of these ice particles likely contribute to the make up of Saturn's
mysterious E ring.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
