Cassini Significant Events
12/17/08 - 12/22/08
The most recent spacecraft telemetry was acquired on Dec. 22 from the
Deep Space Network tracking complexes at Goldstone, California, and
Canberra, Australia. The Cassini spacecraft is in an excellent state
of health and all subsystems are operating normally. Information on
the present position and speed of the Cassini spacecraft may be found
on the "Present Position" page at:
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/operations/present-position.cfm.
Wednesday, December 17 (DOY 352):
Orbit Trim Maneuver (OTM) #178 was performed today. This is the
approach maneuver setting up for the Titan 49 encounter on Dec. 21.
The reaction control subsystem burn began at 1:15 PM PST. Telemetry
immediately after the maneuver showed the burn duration to be 19.63
seconds, giving a delta-V of 0.027 m/sec. All subsystems reported
nominal performance after the maneuver.
All of the Optical Remote Sensing (ORS) instruments observed Rhea
today from a distance of 770,000 km at phase angles increasing to 165
degrees. RADAR was in a passive detection mode to observe radiation
originating from the atmosphere of Saturn below the visible clouds
and haze. This radiation is modulated by ammonia in the atmosphere.
Mapping the polar regions gives scientists insight into the behavior
of the north polar hexagon and south polar vortex at deeper pressure
levels. Tomorrow, RADAR will perform similar observations over the
south polar region, with the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer
(VIMS) performing a polar dynamics study. The poles are experiencing
changes in seasonal lighting, with the north polar region
experiencing sunlight for the first time in over a decade and the
south polar region about to enter over a decade of polar winter. VIMS
studies of these regions over the next few years hope to reveal
changes in Saturn's meteorology and circulation produced by such
seasonal changes, including solar heat deposition.
Friday, December 19 (DOY 354):
The Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) mapped the thermal
structure of Saturn's upper troposphere in the far infrared. Data for
these maps are taken at different times during the mission to reveal
seasonal and other temporal variations. In order to cover two full
rotations of Saturn, 22 hours were devoted to this activity.
Sunday, December 21 (DOY 356):
On Dec. 21, Cassini flew by Titan at an altitude of 970 km, and a
speed of 6.3 km/sec. Closest approach occurred at approximately 6:15
AM PST, latitude 43.9 degrees south. Titan 49 is the last targeted
flyby of 2008. The next will be Titan 50 on Feb. 7, 2009.
Titan closest approach found RADAR in control of spacecraft pointing
to perform altimetry observations across Ontario Lacus. This is the
first time in the mission that RADAR has obtained altimetry data
across a known or suspected lake. The topography profile will help
scientists understand the slopes driving drainage into Ontario as
well as providing evidence about whether it is presently
liquid-filled. RADAR also captured a Synthetic Aperture Radar swath
of the almost completely unmapped southwestern quadrant of Titan, as
well as the south polar terrain.
The Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) rode along with RADAR
during a relatively rare wake side pass. INMS obtained good
measurements of non-reactive neutrals, and limited coverage of the
ionosphere near closest approach.
Imaging Science (ISS) acquired global and regional mapping mosaics of
Titan's leading hemisphere at mid-southern latitudes and rode along
with VIMS to acquire high-resolution coverage at higher southern
latitudes. VIMS acquired mid-resolution and high resolution spectra
south of Xanadu, pointed to the Hotei region to acquire a 2x2 mosaic
at 10 km/pixel of this 5 micron bright region, then mapped a part of
the southern hemisphere - at 5 km/pixel - that has never previously
been mapped.
CIRS continued to extend spatial and temporal coverage of Titan,
performing most major observational activity types. These included
global temperature mapping, vertical profiles of minor gas species in
the mid-infrared, and global mapping of far-infrared trace species
such as CO, H2O and HCN.
The Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument (MIMI) measured energetic ion
and electron energy input to Titan's atmosphere.
T49 was an upstream flank-out flyby with a minimum altitude of 970
km. For the Magnetometer Subsystem (MAG) the geometry of this flyby
was suitable to study the magnetic pileup region and the balance
between the magnetic pressure in the magnetic barrier and the thermal
pressure in the ionosphere. T49 took place in Saturn's near-noon
sector where Titan could be found in the magneto sheath if the solar
wind pressure was high.
Finally, the Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) instrument measured
thermal plasmas in Titan's ionosphere and surrounding environment,
searched for lightning in Titan's atmosphere, and investigated the
interaction of Titan with Saturn's magnetosphere.
Here is the link for the flyby web page:
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/flybys/titan20081221/
Monday, December 22 (DOY 357):
A beautiful close-up image of the surface of Enceladus is Astronomy
Picture of the Day today. Check it out at:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap081222.html
As Saturn goes around the sun, once every 14 to 15 years it turns its
rings edge-on to Earth. Because the rings are so thin, they can
actually disappear when viewed through a backyard telescope. The
best time to look is now. The 0.8-degree opening angle of Christmas
2008 is the minimum for some time to come. In January 2009 the rings
begin to open up again, a temporary reversal caused by the relative
orbital motions of Earth and Saturn. By the time narrowing resumes in
summer 2009, Saturn's position in the sky will be approaching the
sun, so looking at it through a telescope then could actually be
dangerous. The next ring plane crossing that's easy to watch won't
come until 2038.
For the full story link to:
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/22dec_crazytilt.htm
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