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Collection:
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NASA Hubble Space Telescope Collection
Collection
NASA Hubble Space Telescope Collection
Collection
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Title:
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Hubble Provides the First Images of Saturn's Aurorae
Title
Hubble Provides the First Images of Saturn's Aurorae
Title
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Object Name:
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Saturn
Object_Name
Saturn
Object Name
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Acknowledgement:
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Acknowledgement
Acknowledgement
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Fast Facts:
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note:
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*Image Type:*: Astronomical
note
*Image Type:*: Astronomical
note
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note:
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*Release Date*:October 10, 1995 12:00 AM (EDT)
note
*Release Date*:October 10, 1995 12:00 AM (EDT)
note
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note:
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*News Release Number:*: STScI-1995-39b
note
*News Release Number:*: STScI-1995-39b
note
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note:
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*Title*:Hubble Provides the First Images of Saturn's Aurorae
note
*Title*:Hubble Provides the First Images of Saturn's Aurorae
note
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note:
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*Description*:
* The ultraviolet image was obtained by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope with the European Faint Object Camera (FOC) on June 1992. It represents the sunlight reflected by the planet in the near UV (220 nm).
* The image reveals a dark oval encircling the north magnetic pole of Saturn. This auroral oval is the first ever observed for Saturn, and its darkness is unique in the solar system (L. Ben-Jaffel, V. Leers, B. Sandel, Science, Vol. 269, p. 951, August 18, 1995). The structure represents an excess of absorption of the sunlight at 220 nm by atmospheric particles that are the product of the auroral activity itself. The large tilt of the northern pole of Saturn at the time of observation, and the almost perfect symmetry of the planet's magnetic field, made this observation unique as even the far side of the dark oval across the pole is visible!
* Auroral activity is usually characterized by light emitted around the poles. The dark oval observed for Saturn is a STUNNING VISUAL PROOF that transport of energy and charged particles from the magnetosphere to the atmosphere of the planet at high latitudes induces an auroral activity that not only produces auroral LIGHT but also UV-DARK material near the poles: auroral electrons are probably initiating hydrocarbon polymer formation in these regions.
note
*Description*:
* The ultraviolet image was obtained by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope with the European Faint Object Camera (FOC) on June 1992. It represents the sunlight reflected by the planet in the near UV (220 nm).
* The image reveals a dark oval encircling the north magnetic pole of Saturn. This auroral oval is the first ever observed for Saturn, and its darkness is unique in the solar system (L. Ben-Jaffel, V. Leers, B. Sandel, Science, Vol. 269, p. 951, August 18, 1995). The structure represents an excess of absorption of the sunlight at 220 nm by atmospheric particles that are the product of the auroral activity itself. The large tilt of the northern pole of Saturn at the time of observation, and the almost perfect symmetry of the planet's magnetic field, made this observation unique as even the far side of the dark oval across the pole is visible!
* Auroral activity is usually characterized by light emitted around the poles. The dark oval observed for Saturn is a STUNNING VISUAL PROOF that transport of energy and charged particles from the magnetosphere to the atmosphere of the planet at high latitudes induces an auroral activity that not only produces auroral LIGHT but also UV-DARK material near the poles: auroral electrons are probably initiating hydrocarbon polymer formation in these regions.
note
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facet_what:
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Jupiter
facet_what
Jupiter
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Faint Object Camera
facet_what
Faint Object Camera
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Saturn
facet_what
Saturn
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Aurorae
facet_what
Aurorae
facet_what
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facet_where:
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Jupiter
facet_where
Jupiter
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Saturn
facet_where
Saturn
facet_where
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facet_where:
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France
facet_where
France
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Arizona
facet_where
Arizona
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Paris
facet_where
Paris
facet_where
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facet_when:
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October 10, 1995
facet_when
October 10, 1995
facet_when
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facet_when:
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June 1992
facet_when
June 1992
facet_when
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facet_when:
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August 18, 1995
facet_when
August 18, 1995
facet_when
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facet_when_year:
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1995
facet_when_year
1995
facet_when_year
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facet_when_year:
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1992
facet_when_year
1992
facet_when_year
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UID:
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SPD-HUBBLE-STScI-199 5-39b
UID
SPD-HUBBLE-STScI-199 5-39b
UID
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original url:
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original_url
original url
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Release Date:
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October 10, 1995 12:00 AM (EDT)
Release_Date
October 10, 1995 12:00 AM (EDT)
Release Date
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