Solar System: Things to Know This Week
Earlier this month, Mars was at opposition, which is the point in their orbits when Mars, Earth and the sun all line up, making for good conditions to view the Red Planet from Earth.
Now, itās Saturnās turn. The ringed planet will be at opposition on June 3, and this week is a great time to see it ā both in the sky as well as up close, thanks to our spacecraft. Here are a few things to know about Saturn exploration this week:
Thanks to their current orbital positions, our sun-observing spacecraft STEREO-A was recently able to capture the sun, Saturn, Mars and Earth in one image. Take a closer look HERE. Discover more about the STEREO mission HERE.
2. Likable, Lick-able Saturn
Saturnās handsome visage is featured among the new stamps that the US Postal Service is releasing this week to highlight our adventures in planetary exploration.
3. Do You Even Know Saturn?
Yes, yes, itās the one with the rings. But did you know Saturn has winds that can exceed 1000 miles per hour? Or that its magnetic field is hundreds of times as powerful as the Earthās? Or that its day is just 10 hours long? How well do you really know the sixth planet?
One thing you many not know about the planet is that itās loud, at least if you listen to its radio signals. When our robotic Cassini spacecraft first approached Saturn, it detected the powerful fields that surround it. Engineers turned those signals into beautiful, eerie sounds. Listen to them HERE.
5. Ā Not All Who Wander Are Lost
The Cassini missionās explorations of the Saturn system are very much ongoing. In the next few days, the spacecraft will be touring many locations, including the giant moon Titan, Saturnās turbulent clouds, the tiny moon Albiorix and more! Get the full itinerary HERE.
Want to learn more? Read our full list of the 10 things to know this week about the solar system HERE.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com
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