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Cassini Finds Two Small, Surprising Moons at Saturn
Space.com ^ | Robert Roy Britt

Posted on 08/16/2004 4:22:59 PM PDT by HawkeyeLonewolf

The Cassini spacecraft has spotted to previously unknown and small moons orbiting Saturn in an unexpected location.

The satellites are tiny, about 2 miles (3 kilometers) and 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) in diameter. They orbit within 131,000 miles (211,000 kilometers) of the planet's center.

The discoveries bring the total of Saturn's known moons to 33. Number 31 was discovered last year with a ground-based telescope.

(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...


TOPICS: Astronomy
KEYWORDS: cassini
Cool.
1 posted on 08/16/2004 4:22:59 PM PDT by HawkeyeLonewolf
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To: KevinDavis

ping


2 posted on 08/16/2004 5:36:43 PM PDT by BenLurkin (Who was Madame Binh's messenger boy?)
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To: HawkeyeLonewolf
If one could possibly stand on the surface of Saturn, the view of the rings and 33 moons would be one heck of a sight..
3 posted on 08/16/2004 5:40:28 PM PDT by Joe Hadenuf (I failed anger management class, they decided to give me a passing grade anyway)
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To: HawkeyeLonewolf

By my back-of-the-envelope calculation, a 64kg individual would weigh approximately 1 microgram on the smaller of the two moons if it had the density of Earth.

You could launch yourself down to Saturn's surface by sneezing!


4 posted on 08/16/2004 5:43:42 PM PDT by headsonpikes (Spirit of '76 bttt!)
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To: HawkeyeLonewolf
View from S/2004 S1

Maybe I should done one in full sunlight. I wonder how far above the Ring plane it is?
5 posted on 08/17/2004 1:03:21 AM PDT by Dallas59
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To: HawkeyeLonewolf
bttt
6 posted on 01/31/2005 11:25:18 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Ted "Kids, I Sunk the Honey" Kennedy is just a drunk who's never held a job (or had to).)
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