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Orpington Astronomical Society

Astronomy => In the Media... => Topic started by: MarkS on Oct 12, 2010, 09:11:02

Title: Today's Saturn Rings APOD
Post by: MarkS on Oct 12, 2010, 09:11:02

Great APOD today. 
Don't read the description at first but try to work out for yourself exactly what you are seeing.

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap101012.html
Title: Re: Today's Saturn Rings APOD
Post by: Tony G on Oct 12, 2010, 17:34:46
 :boom:
Title: Re: Today's Saturn Rings APOD
Post by: Mike on Oct 13, 2010, 00:13:45
I've read the description and I'm still none the wiser.
Title: Re: Today's Saturn Rings APOD
Post by: MarkS on Oct 13, 2010, 06:10:02
Agreed - description doesn't help much.

This link has a better explanation:
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/10/06/saturn-brain-bender/

This might help:
http://space.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/wspace?tbody=699&vbody=-82&month=9&day=2&year=2010&hour=16&minute=00&fovmul=1&rfov=30&bfov=50&showsc=1
Title: Re: Today's Saturn Rings APOD
Post by: Mike on Oct 13, 2010, 10:00:06
That's better. I get it now.
Title: Re: Today's Saturn Rings APOD
Post by: Tony G on Oct 13, 2010, 11:49:04
Thank Frak!

I thought it was just me as usual, that didn't understand it.

Tony G
Title: Re: Today's Saturn Rings APOD
Post by: MarkS on Oct 13, 2010, 12:07:42
I got it wrong as well - I thought I was seeing ring shadows on Saturn's surface - maybe created by light reflecting off a moon.  Whereas, in fact, we are seeing the rings directly - silhouetted against the faint glow in Saturn's atmosphere.
Title: Re: Today's Saturn Rings APOD
Post by: RobertM on Oct 13, 2010, 12:48:07
Yes, it took me a time to get the perspective right too.  Quite an intriguing image that one!
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