07 Oct 09
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/space/10/07/space.saturn.ring/index.html
This one is invisible in visual wavelengths, only found because the dust sized particles are about 80 degrees Kelvin and Spitzer saw the IR signature. It also explains the dark and light side of Iapitus, it always has the same face forward into the dust so the dark side was peppered by the dust over eons of time. Great work, Spitzer dudes!
08 Oct 09
Originally posted by trev33Not earthshaking for sure but it does solve a mystery about the moon Iapitus, the facing side was black as coal and the back side white as snow.
i was reading about this earlier but i really shouldn't stop thinking why this was so important?
Now it has been shown to be due to the dust in the ring coating the forward side, probably for millions of years. It is interesting because it was unknown for centuries and only the advent of the space age could have EVER have sussed it out due to the fact that no earth bound telescope could have discovered it because the atmosphere blocks those bands of IR.