|
Collection:
|
|
NASA Cassini-Huygens Collection
Collection
NASA Cassini-Huygens Collection
Collection
|
|
Title:
|
|
Light Curve During Titan Occultation Event
Title
Light Curve During Titan Occultation Event
Title
|
|
Description:
|
|
This artist's impression shows the 'light curve' produced by a star passing behind Titan, Saturn's biggest moon.
description
This artist's impression shows the 'light curve' produced by a star passing behind Titan, Saturn's biggest moon.
Description
|
|
Full Description:
|
|
This artist's impression shows the 'light curve' produced by a star passing behind Titan, Saturn's biggest moon.
When such occultation events take place, the light from the star is blocked out. Because Titan has a thick atmosphere, the light does not 'turn off' straight away. Instead, it drops gradually as the blankets of atmosphere slide in front of the star, as the light-curve drawn here shows. The way the light drops tells astronomers about the atmosphere of Titan.
The peak at the center of the light curve represents the bright flash occurring at the very middle of the occultation. This is due to the fact that Titan's atmosphere acts as a lens, making the light emitted by the star passing behind converge into a focal point and produce the flash.
Credits: ESA. Image by C.Carreau
Full_Description
This artist's impression shows the 'light curve' produced by a star passing behind Titan, Saturn's biggest moon.
When such occultation events take place, the light from the star is blocked out. Because Titan has a thick atmosphere, the light does not 'turn off' straight away. Instead, it drops gradually as the blankets of atmosphere slide in front of the star, as the light-curve drawn here shows. The way the light drops tells astronomers about the atmosphere of Titan.
The peak at the center of the light curve represents the bright flash occurring at the very middle of the occultation. This is due to the fact that Titan's atmosphere acts as a lens, making the light emitted by the star passing behind converge into a focal point and produce the flash.
Credits: ESA. Image by C.Carreau
Full Description
|
|
Date:
|
|
January 24, 2007
Date
January 24, 2007
Date
|
|
Keywords:
|
|
Titan
|
|
Keywords:
|
|
occultation
keywords
occultation
Keywords
|
|
Keywords:
|
|
light curve
keywords
light curve
Keywords
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Saturn
facet_what
Saturn
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Moon
facet_what
Moon
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Titan
facet_what
Titan
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Advanced Communication Technology Satellite (ACTS)
facet_what
Advanced Communication Technology Satellite (ACTS)
facet_what
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Saturn
facet_where
Saturn
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
|
|
facet_when:
|
|
January 24, 2007
facet_when
January 24, 2007
facet_when
|
|
facet_when_year:
|
|
2007
facet_when_year
2007
facet_when_year
|
|
UID:
|
|
SPD-SATRN-2460
|
|
original url:
|
original_url
original url
|
