KWPro.net

"Like a candle in the wind..." is the best way to describe how the Phoebe encounter went with Cassini. Although the best images have yet to hit the net, the views thus far have been quite stunning when you compare these photos against the Voyager blurs. This time, we've received extremely clear cut images that reveal something that looks like an asteroid or perhaps the two satellites orbiting Mars. Prior to Friday, our best images had been blobs with hints of craters and a roughly roundish shape. But as those photos in the past were taken at a significant distance, we could only imagine the type of world that Phoebe presents. What has been revealed is a heavily cratered world of at most 200 km in diameter and with some impact craters up to 50 km across. Some areas show extreme brightness while others are hidden from view. Honestly, it looks like a big, generic dirtball from the asteroid belt. However, as Cassini had passed by at roughly 2000 km at the closest approach, we've yet to see the best. Not to mention the other onboard instruments to reveal more about the planet's composition, etc. Unfortunately, the delay from here and Saturn is quite a bit, so we can't exactly get the most up-to-date information. However, so far, the experience has not been a disappointment. From here, the next two big points will be this coming week on the 16th in a correction manuever, and following what will become a legendary move as the orbiter goes into an insertion mode into Saturn. The move looks like something out of a science fiction movie and some mad scientist's mind. Basically, the thing is going to shoot from below the gap in the rings and then rocket past Saturn, just hovering above the main rings before descending again through the gap and placing itself in orbit. All this will occur within a 90 minute timespan. Pretty daring? My only concern is whether it gets pelted by debris and knocked into nothingness. Hard to say, but I think this move is safer than landing on Mars at this point. At least you can say those JPL guys like excitement when it comes to exploring with other people's money ;)