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Cassini's continued mission
NASA's Cassini spacecraft is now a nearly a year into its extended mission, called Cassini Equinox (after its initial 4-year mission ended in June, 2008). The spacecraft continues to operate in good health, returning amazing images of Saturn, its ring system and moons, and providing new information and science on a regular basis. The mission's name, "Equinox" comes from the upcoming Saturnian equinox in August, 2009, when its equator (and rings) will point directly toward the Sun. The Equinox mission runs through September of 2010, with the possibility of further extensions beyond that. Collected here are 24 more intriguing images from our ringed neighbor. (previously: 1, 2) (24 photos total)
This natural color mosaic was acquired by the Cassini spacecraft as it soared 39 degrees above the unilluminated side of Saturn's rings. Little light makes its way through the rings to be scattered in Cassini's direction in this viewing geometry, making the rings appear somewhat dark compared to the reflective surface of Saturn (120,536 km/74,898 mi across). The view combines 45 images taken over the course of about two hours, as Cassini scanned across the entire main ring system. The images in this view were obtained on May 9, 2007 at a distance of approximately 1.1 million kilometers (700,000 miles) from Saturn. (NASA/JPL/SSI)
Pan, a small ring-embedded moon (28 km/17 mi wide) coasts into view from behind Saturn. The view of the rings is distorted near Saturn by the planet's upper atmosphere. The view was acquired at a distance of approximately 1.8 million km (1.1 million mi) from Pan. Image scale is 11 km (7 mi) per pixel on Pan. (NASA/JPL/SSI) #
This mosaic of two Cassini images shows Pan and Prometheus creating features in nearby rings. Pan (28 km/17 mi wide), in the Encke Gap at left, is trailed by a series of edge waves in the outer boundary of the gap. Prometheus (86 km/53 mi wide) just touches the inner edge of Saturn's F ring at right, and is followed by a series of dark channels in the ring. The view was obtained at a distance of approximately 1.2 million km (746,000 mi) from Pan and Prometheus. Image scale is 7 km (5 mi) per pixel on both moons. (NASA/JPL/SSI) #
This image was taken during Cassini's close approach to the moon Iapetus in Sept. 2007. The image was taken on Sept. 10, 2007 with the Cassini spacecraft wide-angle camera at a distance of approximately 3,870 km (2,400 mi) from Iapetus. Image scale is 230 meters (755 feet) per pixel. (NASA/JPL/SSI) #
Cassini tracks the shepherd moon Prometheus as it orbits Saturn. Prometheus is just about to pass behind the planet, and a faint streamer of ring material lies below and to the right of Prometheus (86 km/53 mi wide), in the faint, inner strand of the F ring. The view was acquired at a distance of approximately 1.3 million km (804,000 mi) from Prometheus. Image scale is 8 km (5 mi) per pixel. (NASA/JPL/SSI) #
Saturn's high north is a seething cauldron of activity filled with roiling cloud bands and swirling vortices. A corner of the north polar hexagon is seen at upper left. The image was taken on Aug. 25, 2008 at a distance of approximately 541,000 km (336,000 mi) from Saturn. Image scale is 29 km (18 mi) per pixel. (NASA/JPL/SSI) #
Numerous stars provide a serene background in this view of Enceladus captured by the Cassini spacecraft while the moon was in eclipse, within Saturn's shadow. The view looks up at Enceladus' south pole. The image was taken on Oct. 9, 2008 at a distance of approximately 83,000 km (52,000 mi) from Enceladus. Image scale is 5 km (3 mi) per pixel. (NASA/JPL/SSI) #
In this image of the F ring, taken shortly after its ring particles encountered the shepherd moon Prometheus, the disruption to the ring caused by the moon is evident. The bright core of the ring and its neighboring faint strands show kinks where the moon's gravity has altered the orbits of the ring particles. The image was taken on Oct. 23, 2008 at a distance of approximately 444,000 km (276,000 mi) from Saturn. Image scale is 2 km (1 mile) per pixel. (NASA/JPL/SSI) #
Dark irregular patterns dot the bright outer B ring just left of the large Huygens Gap in the center of this image from Cassini. Cassini scientists speculate that these features are likely the result of transient gravitational clumping. The outer edge of the B ring is anchored and sculpted by a powerful gravitational resonance with the moon, Mimas (396 km/246 mi wide). The mutual gravity between particles may pull them into clumps as they are periodically forced closely together by the action of Mimas. The image was taken on Dec. 8, 2008 at a distance of approximately 710,000 km (441,000 mi) from Saturn. Image scale is 4 km (2 mi) per pixel. (NASA/JPL/SSI) #
Against a background of muted atmospheric bands in Saturn's northern hemisphere, Mimas forges onward in its orbit around the Ringed Planet. Aside from the large crater Herschel, all features on Mimas are named after people and places in Arthurian legend or the legends of the Titans. In fact, the largest crater near the terminator in this view is named Arthur (64 km, 40 mi across). The image was taken on Nov. 26, 2008 at a distance of approximately 915,000 km (569,000 mi) from Mimas. Image scale is 5 km (3 mi) per pixel. (NASA/JPL/SSI) #
Small, battered Epimetheus before Saturn's A and F rings, and and smog-enshrouded Titan (5,150 km/3,200 mi wide) beyond. The color information in the colorized view is artificial: it is derived from red, green and blue images taken at nearly the same time and phase angle as the clear filter image. This color information was overlaid onto a previously released clear filter view in order to approximate the scene as it might appear to human eyes. The view was acquired on April 28, 2006, at a distance of approximately 667,000 km (415,000 mi) from Epimetheus and 1.8 million km (1.1 million mi) from Titan. The image scale is 4 km (2 mi) per pixel on Epimetheus and 11 km (7 mi) per pixel on Titan. (NASA/JPL/SSI) #
Half an hour after Prometheus tore into Saturn's F ring, Cassini snapped this image just as the moon was creating a new streamer in the ring. The dark pattern shaped like an upside down check mark in the lower left of the image is Prometheus and its shadow. The potato shaped moon can just be seen coming back out of the ring. The moon's handiwork also is apparent in two previous streamer-channel formations on the right of the image. The darkest streamer-channel stretching from the top right to the center of the image shows Prometheus' previous apoapse passage about 15 hours earlier. Prometheus (86 km/53 mi across) dips into the inner edge of the F ring when it reaches apoapse, its farthest point from Saturn. At apoapse, the moon's gravity pulls out particles of the ring into a streamer. As Prometheus moves back toward periapse - its orbit's closest point to the planet - the streamer gets longer. Then, as Prometheus moves back toward apoapse, the streamer breaks apart which results in a dark channel. This streamer-channel cycle repeats once every orbit. The image was taken on Jan. 14, 2009 at a distance of approximately 555,000 km (345,000 mi) from Saturn. Image scale is 3 km (2 mi) per pixel. (NASA/JPL/SSI) #
This bizarre scene shows the cloud-streaked limb of Saturn in front of the planet's B ring. The ring's image is warped near the limb by the diffuse gas in Saturn's upper atmosphere. The image was taken on June 24, 2008 using a spectral filter sensitive to wavelengths of infrared light, at a distance of approximately 657,000 km (408,000 mi) from Saturn. Image scale is 4 km (2 mi) per pixel. (NASA/JPL/SSI) #
Cassini looks toward Rhea's cratered, icy landscape with the dark line of Saturn's ringplane and the planet's murky atmosphere as a background. Rhea is Saturn's second-largest moon, at 1,528 km (949 mi) across. Images taken using red, green and blue spectral filters were combined to create this natural color view. The images were acquired on July 17, 2007 at a distance of approximately 1.2 million km (770,000 mi) from Rhea. Image scale is 7 km (5 mi) per pixel. (NASA/JPL/SSI) #
This image of Saturn's rings and the shadow of nearby Mimas was taken on April 08, 2009. The rings are now oriented nearly edge-on toward the Sun, and very long moon shadows frequently drape across them. Interesting to note in this image are the various jagged shadows along the outer edge of the B ring. Scientists are closely studying this phenomenon now, and a preliminary hypothesis suggests that the shadows are of clumpy, disturbed ring material, stretching up to 3 km above the ring plane - contrasted with an estimated normal ring thickness of only 10 meters or so. (The ring-shaped mark at right is a camera artifact) (NASA/JPL/SSI) #
Cassini peers through the fine, smoke-sized ice particles of Saturn's F ring toward the cratered face of Mimas (396 km/246 mi wide). The F ring's core is dense enough to completely block the light from Mimas. The image was taken on Nov. 18, 2007 at a distance of approximately 772,000 km (480,000 mi) from Mimas. Image scale is 5 km (3 mi) per pixel on the moon. (NASA/JPL/SSI) #
Gray Mimas appears to hover above the colorful rings. The large crater seen on the right side of the moon is named for William Herschel, who discovered Mimas in 1789. Images taken using red, green and blue spectral filters were combined to create this natural color view. The images were acquired on Sept. 9, 2007 at a distance of approximately 3.151 million km (1.958 million mi) from Mimas. Image scale is 19 km (12 mi) per pixel. (NASA/JPL/SSI) #
Saturn's northern hemisphere is seen here against its nested rings. The rings have been brightened relative to the planet to enhance visibility. Images taken using red, green and blue spectral filters were combined to create this natural color view. The images were acquired with the Cassini spacecraft wide-angle camera on Feb. 24, 2009 at a distance of approximately 866,000 km (538,000 mi) from Saturn. Image scale is 38 km (24 mi) per pixel. (NASA/JPL/SSI) #
More links and information
CICLOPS - NASA's Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for Operations
Cassini Equinox Mission - NASA/JPL
Moon shadow, moon shadow - Planetary Society blog entry about ring shadows.
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
Fantastic and breathtakingly beautiful. I pay my tribute to the scientists and engineers who made this possible. Is the beauty we 'see' in these pictures dependent on the scale? As far as science is concerned, it is the detail that is important.
Absolutely breathtaking !!
@166:
"would be nicer if there weren't so many anti-religion comments here"
Would be nicer if there weren't so many religions comments here. Most of those that post them on an undeniably scientific website are simply trying to interject their religion where they know it will cause backlash. But as has been stated many times already, unfortunately very typical of certain types of characters these days. Get it thru yer heads people: this is not a chuch. Don't interject religion where you KNOW it will cause aggrevation!
"What does religion have to do with these photos?"
EXACTLY!!!! It doesn't, but some people INSIST. THAT is the reason for "anti-religion" comments. Get it?
"Some of us believe in God, and also love science, particularly astronomy."
That's fine. Nobody seems to be debating that here. Neither am I. But on a science website, let's stick with science. Too much to ask?
And yes, these images are about the most awe-inspiring images I have ever seen. Thank you JPL!
pictures are great!!
Oh... How Significant Is HIS Creations ツ
Amazing Pics.... unbelievable
SUPERB, ONLY THE NASA CAN ONLY DO THIS.
Why are people talking about religious stuff?
This is currently one of the humanity's greatest achievements, being able to go to other planets. Celebrate the power of our humanity!
And yes I did Aerospace engineering at university - such fun telling people I was studying to become a rocket scientist.... harder to get a job in Australia though.
Anyway, NASA, well done. And more power to human endeavour!!!!!
Magnifique. Merci.
"Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?" -- Douglas Adams
god is real and alive
Deeply grateful to all those whose ideas and work brought us those magnificent images.
Sad that their beauty should be de-valued and humiliated and denied the admiration and respect it deserves per se.
I, as an artist, find myself deeply humbled by the simple beauty of The Universe.
I do love these pictures!!! but I guess we try to see beauty elsewhere pretending we do not see the uglyness that we are doing to ourselves and to our planet!!!
Shouldn't we guarantee first our existence and then look for other things?
I've read many of the comments for several of these "Big Picture" pages, and I'm struck by how moronic and self-centered most of them are.
"This proves the existence of god!" "This proves there is no god!" "This shows how we're destroying our own planet!" "This shows how we're wasting taxpayer dollars!"
The topic doesn't much matter, because few people seem to care about the photos. Most commenters just want an excuse to get up on their little soapboxes and spout.
Well, here's my suggestion to the moderators of this website: please kill the comments feature. Completely. Just disable it.
The web already has plenty of places where people with small minds and big mouths can get their jollies; this doesn't need to be yet another. Post the photos, let people enjoy them or not... and let them keep their opinions to themselves. What a novel idea!
You can't disprove God using the scientific method, because you would have to first prove his existance before you could apply it! Enough already!
There is plenty of room in Religion for Science and space exploration (The Wheel in the Sky). There is plenty of room in science for Religion (Lee Strobel's Case for a Creator).
We are blessed to live in a time where we can see these images and begin to explore the unknown space around us. We should use these advances to come together. We are all here because we have a genuine interest in these pictures. Lets use that to celebrate our common interest and not our differences. Can't we all just get along?
As said in the movie Contact when she saw the beauty of a system: they should of sent a poet, it is so beautiful, so beautiful. I feel this way, so awed that I have no words to express the depth of the feeling I have.
I read once that Saturn is like the U.N. for our solar system, with a High Council
that meets regularly. These photos make me think that could quite well be true.
And as far as science vs religion--300 years ago no one was called a 'scientist'--
they would be called 'philosopher' and they would have had to study a very well-rounded curriculum including metaphysics, astronomy and everything in between. The current split between science and spirituality is a major flaw that
is producing fractured information. We need to integrate them again. Also, if there is a God, then it is quite appropriate for us to express our thanks for this beautiful solar system when we get to see such photos.
Fantastic pictures!!
P.S. Has anyone noticed that the secularists never comment on scientific sites about the existance of "god" or "gods" until someone brings up theism because it is inappropriate? What these people don't seem to realize is that affirming that they are religious and quoting spiritual text on a scientific site like is unnecessary and absurd, let's save these comments for your religious message boards.
I agree. Any defense a theist will give is generally a logical fallacy anyway. Both the Solar System, and the Universe are truly magnificent, and with every progress Educated men make, more and more can be observed, studied, and understood. With all of the persecution freethinkers endured, advocates of ancient doctrines should be humbled by these images, but not for the sake of god. They should be humbled by their own fallibility and misconceptions of the metaphysical and physical nature of things, of the progress of their benevolent peers, and of their reluctance or inability to adapt to the modern, technological world.
Excellent pics. it makes me wonder , if the young ones of troubled countries could get the chance to open there minds to this kind of fascinating science ,it might divert there minds to a positive direction. teach the young. but what do i know, i'm just a welder.
Humbling indeed and as bold in depth as the euphoric sight that explorers must have experienced when they saw the edges of the new world one can only presume ?
It is within the fortunes of being able to share such magnificence in it,s infancy with so many across and within our home that the want of all would be to grasp at the thread and strands called the common ancestor and clear away the chains that seperate and hold the bonds of tommorrow that alleviate not the differences that deviate and just strive for the intensity of discovery and humanity !
I have looked at Saturn many times through my 5" Vixen Reflector telescope. The rings are visible and usually 4 or 5 moons but these photos showing all the detail make me realize how fabulous this whole universe really is.
NASA, JPL, and SSI rule!
I am so proud to have known Dr. John Geake of the University of Manchester, England, who worked with his colleagues on the Cassini Mission. He was present at its launch, but, sad to say, he did not live to view these marvelous images. He would have been so very happy, as are all of us. Congratulations to all who contributed to this triumph of science!
Religion is nothing more than a tool for man to shed his fears of the unknown, science fundamentalists destroy science's meaning by trying to make it as a way of ascending mankind beyond the unknown. Get over yourselves people. Man isn't as all encompassing as many of you would like to believe. Oh, and that is pretty presumptuous assuming math is universal. We have no knowledge of that it is outside of our own influence and you are foolish if you believe it does. Accept things for what it is and the beauty we behold. Otherwise we will continue down that road that will lead to our destruction.
This i awesome!
Can i use those pictures on my blog?
I am totally confused - I have heard it said by extremely intelligent people like the Pope, Hilary Clinton, George Bush that they believe in the authenticity of the Bible and even Einstein is quoted as saying that God would not play dice - in relation to quantum mechanics (but he was probably just being obtuse).
No doubt there are members of NASA who believe in God – that is their choice and if it makes them happy that is fine. And the same goes for anyone else – unless of course they try to impose their beliefs on those of us who simply find it all too UNBELIEVABLE!
Strange how a lot of creationists try to hi-jack science when it suits them and ignore it when it doesn't.
As I see it in my own - admittedly bigoted atheistic – way: If some - very very courageous people in Europe and America (Galileo, Copernicus, Newton, Darwin, Einstein etc) had not challenged religious dogma - we would definitely not be seeing these ABSOLUTELY ASTOUNDINGLY BEAUTIFUL photographs taken millions of kilometres away!
Equally we would never have discovered these wonders had we remained totally devoted to a belief in a creator.
We only have to look at the modern day parts of the world where religion is dominant to see that those societies have little or no interest in science. The Arabic race - many members of whom were great mathematicians and navigators in the past - has been in rapid decline since Islam took over. Praying five times a day, with your face in the dust and your bum in the air does not leave much opportunity for science or mathematics! (In fairness – there must be some studying these subjects today – but I do know for a fact that often their text books have been censored where they disagree with the Quran. The Taliban are one extreme example of this: Uneducated, superstitious, zealots. When are they planning a trip to Mars?
"That's fine. Nobody seems to be debating that here. Neither am I. But on a science website, let's stick with science. Too much to ask?" Huhhh?
I'm sorry, I didn't realize that there are actually rules as to how someone is "allowed" to respond to what is beautiful and awsome to them. Get over yourself!
Re pic #21: "That's no moon. *pause* It's a space station." ;)
Where are the latest photos of Iapetus? I understood that the Cassinni space craft was to pass within a few hundred kilometers of the surface, but I have seen no additional, updated photos of the little moon since the first fly by.
I will say that the photos here are spectacularly beautiful. Regardless what you believe or do not believe, you have to admit, these sights are truly awe inspiring and thought provoking.
Simplemente, impresionantes fotos.
"That's the Dead part of the Universe, for what purpose does it serve ? But for us, it's our Heart that Serves the Universe.
Can't you people enjoy the photos without turning this into a religious debate?
Beautiful photos
Everytime I see examples of natures cosmic beauty it re-enforces my belief that there can be no god. And how privileged we are to have developed the technology to behold such sights.
Awe inspiring images.
Stop degrading my creations with your primitive theological debate. I move in mysterious ways. Thou shalt make more relevant comments, lest I troll thee from the face of the internet.
it is indeed unfortunate how with knowledge comes conflict. today with many parts of the world having less wars over old ideas but more wars over new ones and other parts of the world having the extremes of tranquility or disarray as they do. i mean i suppose it's always been more or less the same, as it happens this very musing comes from observing such phenomena on this comment board. the person of post number 194 had something in his first paragraph- how we are all interconnected; a fact that contains us despite our ideas otherwise. i mean, so conflict is a part of life, a way of things for us- but what perplexes me is why we have to get so angry and huffy. i mean for heavens sake somebody throw a pie! also, before i go and if anyone is still reading- this post is really only meant to comment on apparent disagreements taken place within some of the other comments, particularly due to the relative low temperature of the overall argument and innocuousness of the subject matter. thank you for your time
thumbs up to 'thewadewstar' ! well said! misconceptions such religious nonsense would not take us up there into the stars.
GREAT GREAT PICTURES
How grand this view of our backyard, the Universe!
It only proves how optomistic our God must be!
Look, He's still creating.
Thankfully, we are still extremely
curious and continue to explore His infinite creation!
To those of you quoting the Bible, please remember that it is over 2000 years out of date. Some of the details given were not strictly accurate, I admit, but people back then just weren't ready for the technical stuff. I'm working on the revised edition, but have yet to find a publisher, and I'm unsure of how the new edition will be received by fans of my earlier work.
Those pics are awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#249: Just as a point of correction, these are Einstein's real feelings on God:
"I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it."
"I believe in Spinoza's God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with the fates and actions of human beings."
HAY:
refer to post 255
awesome pictures btw
ha ha, a Definitive response from God (263). Thanks!
My dad was an amateur astronomer and is very religious (lutheran). i sigh every time i see religious people rushing to defend their faith from science by either attacking science or somehow trying to take some weak credit for it. why not just admit religion can't compete with science (at least with any current "revelations") and stick to the philosophical questions and values of religion?
awesome pics and captions
Glory to the American ingenuity and technology for bringing these amaizing Cassini pictures of Saturn to the eyes of humanity - For over 440,000 years, only the ancient astronauts on their way in from the outer solar system to colonize earth have gazed in such detail, the beauity and mistek of such a system of planets and moons, the product of a material sentience. Breath taking and awesome!
This post makes my day:
comment #249
Priceless quote #1: "extremely intelligent people like George Bush"
Priceless quote #2: "very very courageous people in Europe and America (Galileo, Copernicus, Newton, Darwin, Einstein etc)"
Thanks for giving me a good laugh.
Nous en avons plein les yeux et plein le coeur : très émouvant !!! MERCI de nous avoir fait partager de si belles photos !!! Félicitations !!!
Amazing photographs. Still, when I see those white, cold, lifeless, cratered moons, it makes me even more appreciative and awestruck at the beauty of planet Earth. The design, order and diversity of life forms we have on this planet are nothing short of miraculous, yet we allow it to be destroyed by human stupidity. Let's use our resources and intelligence with our emotional and spiritual understandings to support the life of our beautiful blue and green planet.
So far, astronomers haven't shown us any photos of any place remotely like it.
gracias.
These images are absolutely amazing!
Fully agree with Richard (204). !!
To n°264 comment: religion is to philosophy what astrology is to astronomy!
omg!!!!!!!
Much more amazing than the automobile of the same name.
In response to 270 - I am glad you liked my tongue in cheek humour.
How is this for another joke? I bet that mission was astronomically expensive!
And another: What stars those NASA scientists are! They just run rings around any opposition! Io!, Io!, it's off to work we go! Now this is definitely the rocket science about which so may other things are said not to be!
Was Albert Einstein any relation to Frank Einstein?
It just occurred to me that if it were not for gravity there would not be any stars or planets and my computer would keep floating away so I couldn't write this. Clever stuff gravity. I suppose someone is going to say "Ah yes - was it not clever of God to invent gravity?”
You see - science and religion can work together after all!
Simplesmente impressionante!!!!
I like to have my theories reinforced with evidence, and these comments do just that. The theory? That well over 90% of the population are... well.. useless. Misguided. Blissfully ignorant. You want to know what these pictures prove? Nothing. They barely prove that pictures of Saturn were taken. You want to try to use these images to justify your beliefs? Fine. But keep it where it belongs, and that place, is in your head. Either side of the argument. You want to believe that you hold knowledge that has evaded the rest of humanity for centuries? How insufferably human. The worst part is, I only enjoyed a select few of these pictures. I got caught up in these nonsense posts for next to nothing. I'd like to thank you all for once again, stomping the fingers of my faith in humanity as it attempts to climb out of the well that it has been violently thrusted down into. Should you, the reader, assume that I am applying this to you, personally? Probably. People are always the same, and you are most likely no different. Which means, you'll undoubtedly reject what I am saying in yet another attempt to justify your beliefs. To the rest of you (the very few) I'm sorry if you read this the whole way through.
It's interesting how almost EVERYTHING on this site gets people going on whether there's a God or not....we see things we did not "create" ourselves (like space or beautiful animals) or have no control over (like war or suffering in far away places) that we're in awe of or terrified by.and we just HAVE on speculate on why....
This site does a great job.
Charlie (279), I completely agree. You humans are not my best work. Think of yourselves as an old science project that didn't work out. I keep telling everyone up here I will get around to sorting it out, but I've been putting it off for quite a while now. My last attempt was just over 2000 years ago, and you can see what happened then. People just can't follow simple instructions (see commandments).
It's demoralizing.
I just want to thank the men and women who have worked countless hours on this project so that we may enjoy these incredible images. The dedication and hard work of these tireless people must be recognized. You all have done a magnificient job and I want to congratulate you on your success. Thank you.
There can be no doubt that there is a GOD!! Genesis 1:1
Isn't The Flying Spaghetti Monster wonderful for His creations! Raman
Wow. It is amazing that people actually belive in a mystical, magical "god". Alas, we are truly a primitive society.
YHMH, thank you.
These images are so amazing it is almost too hard to view them. I am glad and frustrated. Glad because we get a glimps and frustrated because I cannot pay a visit (haha). :( I'm truly thankful for all those involved in making it possible for us to see these - I still cannot take it all in... so amazing. Thank you.
clarke, whb03 and Andy Baird - You are way too frustrated with other people's opinions. Enjoy what you like on the site and dismiss what does not interest you. My friend (who is not a Christian) sent this link to me (I am a Christian).
Wierd. Looked through the pictures and loved it. Read the first few comments and was shocked. The first described conquest, the second thanked a god. Is it always like this here? Both these views are abhorrent to me. These pictures are best viewed as a beauty that exists. Sheesh. Lay off the superstition people, it is not healthy.
boc
Mahalo (Thank you) Cassini team for bringing Saturn, it's rings and moons to us for closer viewing. The fact that you were able to do this is amazing and such a magnificent gift to all of us.
As I gaze into the dark skies from Maui Hawaii, the glory of our universe invites and stimulates the adventurous self to find out more.
Now when I see Saturn, it will be with a new knowledge of Rhea and other moons out there that was unknown to me before these photos.
Mahalo Nui Loa,
MauiJOY
Deus é perfeito!!
Long live science.
Sometime in the near future, science WILL discover and explain what we don't know yet and which is covered by religion, faith and other beliefs. This has been happening since ever and will continue untill we reach our own limits (untill now we have pushed them farther every day).
The raising of religion in this context will never end. Certain personality types (and they are common), when faced with something "awesome" immediately turn to belief in a creator / god / etc. I doubt this will ever end. I think it is in the basic nature of many people to need to attribute the world or the universe to some sort of "higher power".
Great pictures, congrats for posting them.
Breathtaking. 12 is my favorite.
Yeah, long live science!
entropy669,
poorly said.
As John said, math wasn't invented. It describes what we see, and helps to predict things we don't see. Sometimes we see things after we predicted them, because so we knew how to search for them. Then we know that we have quite a good knowledge of math, and go on discovering.
I'd rather question stories told in an old book that was written down only after it was delivered by words over many generations. As opposed to math, its stories are just beliefs, incapable of proof. I'm happy that it gives inspiration and power to many people, but I prefer to stick to science supported by math.
#221 et al: you have a very poor grasp of economics. The dollars do _NOT_ go out into space. Merely a few tons of metal and plastic and sand go. Maybe a school bus' worth of materials (though put together a little differently:). No, the dollars stay right here on Earth and provide tens of thousands of folks with honest employment, folks who pay their taxes, educate themselves and their children, and likely contribute generously to various charities. And while the photos are stupendous (thanks Caroline!) they are not the reason for the exploration, so pricing the mission in $ / pretty picture is so missing the point.
Don't forget, the computer you are using, the network to which it is connected, the server hosting this blog, and the blog software itself, were all made possible by our Space Exploration projects like Cassini. I consider it $60 / yr well spent out of my total tax bill, and would have no problems seeing that number grow significantly.
If you want your tax dollars spent on fighting poverty, you should have voted that fool of yours out of office in 2004. Instead you let him spend orders of magnitude more $ on creating poverty (except for a few of his friends, world-wide increased poverty seems to be the only legacy of his terms of office).
By definition, Science concerns itself with the observable natural Universe. By definition, God is the name given to a supernatural being. Therefore, by both definitions, discussions of God have no place in a scientific venue, like this blog. Neither extolling it's (God's) virtues, nor denying it's existence, nor hurling insults at proponents of either of those positions. Religion is simply irrelevant in this context.
thats mind blowing, simply mind blowing
The music of the spheres! The ponderous dance of the great orbs & rings as they turn & intersect... the music of their dance almost audible, as we look at these awesome images. All is dancing, each to its own rhythm, from the stutter of a black hole to the annular sweeps of our solar system, to the turning of the galaxies... to the tiny flutter of my grandchild's heart as it floats beneath Maya's own steady heart, a tiny center of the universe, as are we all. Let's forgive each other for being egocentric, because that's the paradox of consciousness: we all look outward from "me" and see the universe turning about us. It's easy for me to live without answers. It's my devotion. But I understand the desire to give thanks.
To think, my Lord did all this for me. :)
It amazes me how atheists think they have every right to scream their criticizism to the world of those who believe in God for the simple act of praising him publicly. Pure hypocrisy, no?
It's beautiful!
Oh, the arguments... Isn't it apparent that progressive science and progressive religions (or "spiritualities" if that makes you feel better about it) are both on their way to proving the veracity of each other?
Read "The Field" by McTaggart. Read anything on quantum physics. Read the Huang Di Nei Jing and any holy scripture. So, we have different words for the same awesome phenomena.
It is beyond clear that our world is intelligently engineered... as is The Universe.
Speaking of which, thank you to all the engineers who made this possible! Including THE Engineer!
great
@ 206 John.
With all do respect.
We might not be able to prove a God did make this earth and universe but we cant prove that God dit not make it eiter.
It seems U are quite sure about there not being a God but how can U be so sure. U can be just as sure about the God existing as God not existing. Truth is that nobody will win this discussion anywhere soon.
Excuse me for my poor English, i hope U can all understand what i just wrote.
Re pic #21: "That's no moon. *pause* It's a space station." ;)
haha matt
finally,a pertinent comment
283.
There can be no doubt that there is a GOD!! Genesis 1:1
Posted by B. Carter April 30, 09 10:26 AM
and yet here we are debating Gods existence. Bible proved wrong on page 1 line 1.
"I wasn't me" - God
Absolutely beautiful. I have always been a huge fan of space and space related topics and this just gets better and will continue to do so. It makes you think of how much we still need to learn. Just a pity it's happening at such a slow pace... relatively speaking to the average human life... maybe one day we will have technology to prolong life and we can enjoy the marvels of space as our technology allows us to explore further and further into space. Thanks NASA and ultimately the citizens of the US. Your commitment to space exploration gives the rest of humanity an opportunity to see space.
Just a pity that religion is pushed down our throats while we want to just enjoy. I see people from all over the world commenting about these photos and no doubt there are a lot of different religious views represented. So sad that some don't respect.
Świetne, Przepiękne, Rewelacyjne... aż słów brakuje...
re #299, Susan Murphy,
Well said!
To Gerard Haggerty at #276, if GM had been able to create anything as fabulous as these photographs, I doubt they'd be bankrupt.
no entiendo nada de lo qe dicen xqe esta todo en ingles
pero igual, muy buenas las imagenes
me sirven pila
gracias :)
this ia absolutely breath taking....
Good grief, N, these are spectacular, of course. I'm wondering if the disturbances in the rings by the moons disappear after awhile.
Belated thanx for posting this
Amazing pictures! As always.
RE: post 149 and Allan Cartlidge's ignorance.
The Arabs were idol worshippers without knowledge, until Islam was revealed.
After this, they became the leaders in Science and Astronomy in the World for centuries. How many stars in the sky have arabic names?
Look it up, and other contributions the Muslim world has given to Science, unless you don't want to spoil your racist and stereotyped world view.
You might want to look as history as well, regarding the current state of Arab nations, and the role Britain had to play.
Spectacular pictures. I looked at them over and over. Thanks NASA.
Absolutley excellent pictures. It is facinating to see such wonderful sights. These pictures show us how really insignificant we all are.
re: 281
Thanks for commenting dad, but let me just correct you as you are obviously getting on a bit, you sent the comms down 3500 years ago. And by the way, the humans weren't much better when you sent me down to help. They made me very cross, (excuse the pun) although I wasn't allowed to express myself, in anything other than a calm manner (your instructions)
Who Created all these Planets and stars ?
Now dont say they were self created or they existed from the very beginning please...
Think with your brain for this confusion
@236 - agree with you.
to 317 if anyone had the answer it would have been added to the pictures.
I couldn't stop saying wow at the pictures!
#221: "$5M + per picture? When they could have simmed it in a lab for a lot less. The money spent on Cassini could have bought a hundred million meals for the poor in the world... or enough medicine to keep everyone with HIV alive... or a flower for every American...
Still, cool, eh?"
They could have simmed it but now we can see the reality... This is the REAL universe, not a movie. $5m is pennies compared to what we spend on our military and destroying things (i.e. wars like Iraq, Afghanistan). NASA's whole budget is still quite much smaller than the Military and all that. We should slash that and use that money. (Cassini could buy 100 million meals, just under *half* our Military expenditure would buy 100 BILLION meals, or a thousand flowers -- a whole garden -- for everyone on Earth, or if put to medical research could help make major progress in cures for debilitating diseases, or could help in getting us off the oil we're using to to try and conquer, see...) These exploration activities are at *worst* a neutral action, i.e. they hurt nobody, while developing military weapons is aimed specifically toward killing and maiming people for some reason or another, which is a *negative* action. Better the money was spent on this than on funding wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and developing ever more weapons. China doesn't spend this much. Germany doesn't spend this much. RUSSIA Doesn't Spend This Much! Canada, our neighbor just up north, spends even less than all of those! And I don't see them getting trampled over by "terrorists" or something like that. NOBODY spends anywhere NEAR as much as we do in the military. If we need that much military we're doing something seriously wrong in the way we handle the world and we better change that. And once we've freed up that money we can use it for all sorts of much more positive things. Don't diss scientific things like this that can actually help provide useful things: a lot of important technologies have been made possible from this and we shouldn't be confined to the Earth forever. Diss the other stuff that really is causing real serious trouble. I saw a map showing "US discretionary spending" and the majority(!!!) of the pie map was Military. Insanity!
Great great great thing science is...!!!!