Cassini Encounters Iapetus

● The Cassini spacecraft (orbiting in the saturnian system) flew within 1000 miles of Saturn's strange moon Iapetus yesterday.

● The data are on their way to your screen...– a rare real-time first-hand view of true exploration.

   

Steps Toward Knowing a New World

● Jupiter's moon Io, for example...

– Discovery

   

Steps Toward Knowing a New World

● Jupiter's moon Io, for example...

– Encounter

   

Steps Toward Knowing a New World

● Jupiter's moon Io, for example...

– Encounter

   

Steps Toward Knowing a New World

● Jupiter's moon Io, for example...

– Exploration

   

Steps Toward Knowing a New World

● Jupiter's moon Io, for example...

– Exploration

   

Steps Toward Knowing a New World

● Jupiter's moon Io, for example...

– Exploration

   

Steps Toward Knowing a New World

● Jupiter's moon Io, for example...

– Exploration

   

Cassini Encounters Iapetus

● The Cassini spacecraft (orbiting in the saturnian system) flew within 1000 miles of Saturn's strange moon Iapetus yesterday.

● The data are on their way to your screen...– a rare real-time first-hand view of true exploration.

   

Why is Iapetus Interesting?● From the time it was discovered (1671), Iapetus was known to

be black on one side and bright on the other???

   

Why is Iapetus Interesting?● It keeps the same face toward Saturn and is dark on the leading

side and bright on the trailing side.

Best Voyager image....

   

Cassini's Distant Encounter● Cassini has viewed Iapetus from a distance deepening (and

adding to) the mystery.

   

Cassini's Distant Encounter

   

Cassini's Distant Encounter

   

Cassini's Distant Encounter

   

Encounter at 1000 km

● This afternoon we get to see 100 times more detail...

A teaser.... from on the way in.

   

Encounter at 1000 km

● This afternoon we get to see 100 times more detail...A teaser.... from on the way in.

See:

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/

and

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/raw/raw-images-list.cfm?browseLatest=1