
Cassini Captures Closest Images of Saturn's Atmosphere - _eric
https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/cassini-captures-closest-images-of-saturns-atmosphere
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sharkweek
I think if I got to fly by one planet in our solar system, I'd want it to be
Saturn.

The scene in Interstellar before they fly into the wormhole is one of the most
beautiful space shots. I'd love to experience that in real life
([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WldmX1zu6vM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WldmX1zu6vM))

Also, if there are any blossoming film directors hanging out on HN, I'd
absolutely pay to watch a full-length movie of space travel of planetary fly
bys.

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detritus
I recently installed an app[0] on my mobile, viewing it with a Google
Cardboard. My mobile has a comically-cracked screen and my cardboard's magnet-
activated interaction button was missing and the head band too tight, so the
viewer had to be held in hand - in short, the worst possible VR experience
contemporarily possible.

And yet, the experience of wooshing around Saturn was utterly awe-inspiring.
My heart was in my throat.

I'll likely never fly through the Solar Sytem, but I'm ok with that if I get
to try whatever facsimile VR can offer in 20 years time.

[0][https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.drashvr.ti...](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.drashvr.titansofspacecb&hl=en_GB)

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alistproducer2
My 3 year old son LOVES looking at these pictures with me. everyday he gets
home he wants to look at planets, old shuttle launch footage, spaceships or
the IIS live feed. Makes me sad that we don't invest much more in space.

~~~
mLuby
Get him KSP :D

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rs86
The wind speed is measured relative to what?

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finnh
The calculated rotational speed of Saturn as a whole, I presume. Per
wikipedia, we don't have an exact figure for that:

"Astronomers use three different systems for specifying the rotation rate of
Saturn. System I has a period of 10 hr 14 min 00 sec (844.3°/d) and
encompasses the Equatorial Zone, the South Equatorial Belt and the North
Equatorial Belt. The polar regions are considered to have rotation rates
similar to System I. All other Saturnian latitudes, excluding the north and
south polar regions, are indicated as System II and have been assigned a
rotation period of 10 hr 38 min 25.4 sec (810.76°/d). System III refers to
Saturn's internal rotation rate. Based on radio emissions from the planet in
the period of the Voyager flybys, it has been assigned a rotation period of 10
hr 39 min 22.4 sec (810.8°/d). Because it is close to System II, it has
largely superseded it.[69]

A precise value for the rotation period of the interior remains elusive. While
approaching Saturn in 2004, Cassini found that the radio rotation period of
Saturn had increased appreciably, to approximately 10 hr 45 min 45 sec (± 36
sec).[70][71] The latest estimate of Saturn's rotation (as an indicated
rotation rate for Saturn as a whole) based on a compilation of various
measurements from the Cassini, Voyager and Pioneer probes was reported in
September 2007 is 10 hr 32 min 35 sec.[72]"

