Saturn's Odd Pockmarked Moon ( Hyperion) Revealed in New Photos: (taken a beatin')

NASA's Cassini spacecraft has captured new photos of Saturn's ugly-duckling moon Hyperion that show its cratered surface up close.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/769e20891c70.jpg[/atsimg]
Aug. 25, 2011: NASA's Cassini spacecraft obtained this unprocessed image of Saturn's moon Hyperion during a close flyby.

The pictures come from Cassini's Aug. 25 flyby of the Saturn moon Hyperion. The pass, the spacecraft's second closest encounter with the moon, brought Cassini within about 15,500 miles (25,000 kilometers) of Hyperion’s surface. Of all Saturn’s 62 moons, Hyperion is one of the strangest. It is an ungainly, misshapen space rock hurtling on a chaotic orbit around the ringed giant.

The moon is small — only about 168 miles (270 kilometers) across — and has an irregular shape and surface appearance. As it tumbles along in orbit, the moon rotates unpredictably, preventing scientists from predicting in advance exactly what terrain the spacecraft's cameras would image during this flyby. However, this flyby's closeness has likely allowed Cassini's cameras to map new territory, scientists said.

This isn't the first time Cassini has snapped close-up photos of the Saturn moon. Cassini's closest encounter with Hyperion was on September 26, 2005, when the spacecraft flew approximately 310 miles (500 kilometers) above the moon's surface.

Source: www.foxnews.com...

Love this stuff. Boy, this puppy took a beathing. Look at the impact craters and the alike. Makes you wonder how they (moons) can stay together with hits of that many and magnitude.

Why aren't the other moons around there as marked... from what I gather. Maybe slipped into it's orbit and can't get out.

It will be interesting to see the photo comparisons from 2005 till 2011. Hopefully it will be a detailed report that is made public.

Going to look for the 2005 photos now. Anyone have them/some-please put them up.


QUick find at NASA... )

photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov...

Nice image. NASA relly needs to get something up there with one of those 111 Gigapixel cameras. Bet that would shed a whole load of light on whats really up there. Probably a bit too much for their liking...

reply to post by anon72


Probably made of lead like our moon.

reply to post by iksose7


Who says they haven't already?

reply to post by LightAssassin



Interesting point.... and reply.

Do you know something that is contrary? Please share.....

reply to post by anon72


Just that the technology that we aren't privy to is about 20 years ahead of technology that we have access to.

Apologies for the delay in answering.