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Aug 10, 2009: One of Saturn's rings damaged
The Discover magazine Bad Astronomy blog says it far better than I could:
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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. |
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 Sunday Aug 9 07:40 PM
It's like the elastic in underwear. Looks like something snagged there.
casimendocina Sunday Aug 9 08:00 PM
Does anyone have any ideas about what the implications might be? Do they matter or is it just knowledge building?
Leokins Sunday Aug 9 09:11 PM
I know! I know! It's an alien spaceship!
Somebody had to suggest it 
dar512 Sunday Aug 9 09:18 PM
TheMercenary Sunday Aug 9 10:09 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 Sunday Aug 9 10:34 PM
Whatever it is, it is casting a shadow on the rings. Most impressive.
Footfall is one of my favorite Niven/Pournelle books.
ZenGum Monday Aug 10 03:00 AM
SHEEEELLLLDON???!!!! 
SPUCK Monday Aug 10 06:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Elspode
Footfall is one of my favorite Niven/Pournelle books.
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Originally Posted by TheMercenary
its trajectory and is now headed straight for Philly, PA.
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ZenGum Monday Aug 10 08:16 AM
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Originally Posted by SPUCK
Don't you mean the Hudson River?
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capnhowdy Monday Aug 10 08:29 AM
This may explain the plane/copter crash over the Hudson.
Madman Monday Aug 10 09:52 AM
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Originally Posted by casimendocina
Does anyone have any ideas about what the implications might be? Do they matter or is it just knowledge building?
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2012 was a lie. The Mayans just ran out of... of... whatever they used to scrawl their fib with.
Fucking Mayans.
dar512 Monday Aug 10 11:56 AM
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Originally Posted by ZenGum
He must be deep in denial.
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OnyxCougar Monday Aug 10 02:12 PM
[fundy]
It's a smudge from God's finger!
[/fundy]
Slothboy Monday Aug 10 02:57 PM
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Originally Posted by dar512
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Time to build that bunker.
dar512 Monday Aug 10 03:04 PM
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Originally Posted by Slothboy
My exact thought. I mean, it's even the F-Ring!
Time to build that bunker. |
TheMercenary Tuesday Aug 11 07:25 PM
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Originally Posted by ZenGum
He must be deep in denial.
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Shawnee123 Wednesday Aug 12 01:18 PM
At least it's not Uranus. 
barefoot serpent Wednesday Aug 12 05:23 PM
WTF-ring
Saknussem Friday Aug 14 08:26 PM
Didn't Wall*E drag his filthy mitt through one of the rings?
monster Saturday Aug 15 10:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Undertoad
something bizarre happened at Saturn’s F ring
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Originally Posted by ZenGum
SHEEEELLLLDON???!!!!
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Originally Posted by Shawnee123
At least it's not Uranus.
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