Highest Resolution images of Enceladus
The JPL Cassini site has this image on their front page. This is a wide-angle image from the UVIS occultation ride-along. I felt this deserves its own topic if only because this is the wide-angle image, imagine what the narrow angle image will look like.
This wide-angle image has a resolution of approximately 20 meters/pixel.
Update: the NAC view is now available. this image has a resolution of 2 m/pixel. You can clearly see several large boulders in a region of high tectonic deformation. The WAC image that was above can still be seen on the JPL Cassini Front Page.
posted by Jason Perry at 9:30 PM
6 Comments:
I think we'll just have to be patient, and hope that nothing untoward happens to Cassini in the meantime.
I wonder - has anyone proposed a camera system with disposable clear lens covers?
The image was a ride along with a UVIS occultation, so UVIS was controlling the pointing of the spacecraft. During an occultation, UVIS is point at a star, rather than targetting a specific point on the surface. I imagine if ISS was prime during C/A, the smear would be less. But I am certainly happy with what we got, don't get me wrong.
You know Jason, if we keep getting all these interesting hints that the Enceladan interior may still be liquid, we may start hearing about its astrobiological interest...
roby72: I got the resolution from a different source...but you maybe right in this case.
minites: Remember, there are large regions that don't look like Europa, so I don't think we are looking at the same cause.
there maybe a conflict between the "distances" mentioned on the JPL raw image page and reality since the JPL raw image page maybe based on pre-flyby predicts.
At the velocities everything is moving, These images are awesome!
In April, Flight control said they were experiencing some 'jitter', possibly due to a problem with the reaction wheels.
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press-release-details.cfm?newsID=557
If this problem still exists, it would be amplified in these close-ups.
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