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  • “The Discovery of Saturn’s Largest Ring” lecture set for September’s SMAS meeting

    Posted on August 25th, 2010 No comments

    Dr. Anne Verbiscer
    Department of Astronomy
    University of Virginia

    Location: Hager Auditorium of the Museum of the Rockies
    Date: September 24th, 2010
    Time: 7:30, doors open at 7:00PM

    Abstract: Recent observations by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope revealed that Saturn has an enormous outer ring, by far the largest planetary ring in the Solar System. The ring is associated with one of Saturn’s dark, outer moons called Phoebe. The discovery of this huge ring appears to solve an age-old mystery in planetary science. Since its discovery in 1671, astronomers have puzzled over the odd, two-toned appearance of Saturn’s moon Iapetus. One side of the moon is as bright as snow, but the other is dark, like Phoebe. The new ring explains how dark material originally launched from Phoebe moves inward toward Iapetus, slamming one side of the icy moon like bugs on a windshield. Dr. Verbiscer will discuss how she and her team found the ‘Phoebe Ring’ and post-discovery observations.

    Presentation sponsored by:
    Museum of the Rockies, Montana Space Grant Consortium, and Southwest Montana Astronomical Society

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