Media Information

 
 
 
Collection:
NASA Cassini-Huygens Collection
Title:
SOHO Watches Saturn and Cassini Pass Behind the Sun
Description:
SOHO Watches Saturn and Cassini Pass Behind the Sun
Full Description:
In this SOHO image taken July 21, 2005, the Sun is represented by the white circle in the center. Saturn is the bright object to the left of the Sun. Interestingly, the streak accompanying Saturn is not the rings but a distortion caused by Saturn's brightness.

Saturn is approaching "superior conjunction," that is, it will be almost directly behind the Sun from Earth -- thus the Cassini spacecraft, in orbit around Saturn, will not be able to send or receive transmissions normally. Regular science data collection has been temporarily suspended.

As Cassini passes closest by the limb (edge) of the Sun on July 24 PDT, communications will be impossible because of the Sun's radio noise. The spacecraft will regain full communication with Earth on July 27, once again returning Saturn science data. In the meantime, controllers are sending approximately 100 commands per day to test communication status. Cassini radio scientists are taking advantage of this opportunity to study the Sun's corona from its effects on the radio signals that reach Earth.

SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Satellite) orbits the Sun parked in one of the five gravitational-neutra l spots, called Lagrange Points. This specific spot, called L1, stays in the same place relative to the Sun and the Earth, offering a continuously uninterrupted view of the Sun.

Saturn is not in sight again until the evening of July 24. After that date, it will be to the RIGHT of the sun.

For more information on "superior conjunction," visit: http://www.jpl.nasa….

For more information on the Lagrange Points, visit: http://map.gsfc.nas…

For more information on SOHO, visit: http://sohowww.nasc….

Finally, the latest SOHO images are available at: http://sohowww.nasc….

Credit: SOHO -- http://sohowww.nasc…
Date:
July 22, 2005
Keywords:
gallery
Keywords:
images
Keywords:
Cassini
Keywords:
mission
Keywords:
Huygens
Keywords:
probe
Keywords:
Saturn
Keywords:
explore
Keywords:
videos
Keywords:
movies
Keywords:
Jupiter
Keywords:
flyby
Keywords:
spacecraft
Keywords:
assembly
Keywords:
launch
Keywords:
flight
Keywords:
operations facilities
Keywords:
mpeg
Keywords:
Quicktime
facet_what:
Saturn
facet_what:
Cassini
facet_what:
Jupiter
facet_what:
Earth
facet_what:
Huygens Probe
facet_what:
Sun
facet_what:
Opportunity
facet_what:
SOHO
facet_where:
Saturn
facet_where:
Jupiter
facet_where:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where:
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_when:
July 21, 2005
facet_when:
July 22, 2005
facet_when_year:
2005
UID:
SPD-SATRN-1612
original url:

SOHO Watches Saturn and Cassini Pass Behind the Sun