SkinsOrlando Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1085354/Mysterious-glowing-aurora-Saturn-confounds-scientists.html Mysterious glowing aurora over Saturn confounds scientists By Daily Mail Reporter Last updated at 1:41 PM on 13th November 2008 A stunning light display over Saturn has stumped scientists who say it behaves unlike any other planetary aurora known in our solar system. The blueish-green glow was found over the ringed planet's north polar region just like Earth's northern lights. It was discovered by the infrared instruments on NASA's Cassini spacecraft. 'We've never seen an aurora like this elsewhere,' said Tom Stallard, a scientist working with Cassini data at the University of Leicester. 'This aurora covers an enormous area across the pole. Our current ideas on what forms Saturn's aurora predict that this region should be empty, so finding such a bright aurora here is a fantastic surprise.' Auroras are caused by charged particles streaming along the magnetic field lines of a planet into its atmosphere. Particles from the sun cause Earth's auroras. Many, but not all, of the auroras at Jupiter and Saturn are caused by particles trapped within the magnetic environments of those planets. Jupiter's main auroral ring is caused by interactions in Jupiter's magnetic environment and remains constant in size. Saturn's main aurora is caused by the solar wind, and changes size dramatically as the wind varies. However, the newly observed aurora at Saturn doesn't fit into either category. The new infrared aurora appears in a region hidden from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Cassini observed it when the spacecraft flew near Saturn's polar region. In infrared light, the aurora sometimes fills the region from around 82 degrees north all the way over the pole. This new aurora is also constantly changing, even disappearing within a 45 minute-period. 'There is something special and unforeseen about this planet's magnetosphere and the way it interacts with the solar wind and the planet's atmosphere,' Cassini scientist Nick Achilleos from the University College London said. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. All I know, is that's pretty freakin cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Now, maybe I'm over-reacting here, but in every comic book and sci fi movie I ever saw... this sort of thing never ever means something good. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 That's just the targeting sight for the Death Star coming to blow up Saturn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMike619 Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Now, maybe I'm over-reacting here, but in every comic book and sci fi movie I ever saw... this sort of thing never ever means something good.~Bang "that ming is a psycho" thats all im gonna say... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 "that ming is a psycho"thats all im gonna say... Right. It's probably some god-like evil intelligence that was destroyed eons ago in a long lost battle and has finally started to re-form on Saturn to continue it's plans of universal domination. Without a Superman or Fantastic Four or something we're screwed. We need some volunteers for gamma exposure or beta ray baths or something to create a superhero PRONTO. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mufumonk Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 I found the cause: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsOrlando Posted November 13, 2008 Author Share Posted November 13, 2008 Right.It's probably some god-like evil intelligence that was destroyed eons ago in a long lost battle and has finally started to re-form on Saturn to continue it's plans of universal domination. Without a Superman or Fantastic Four or something we're screwed. We need some volunteers for gamma exposure or beta ray baths or something to create a superhero PRONTO. ~Bang I've been laying underneath this damn xray machine for 2 hours now and I only feel like my sperm counts dropped, might take a while before the powers kick in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zguy28 Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Quick somebody call Riley Martin and Louis Farrakhan and tell them the mothership is coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiLfan Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 looks like Saturn's been drinking too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stiggs Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Need to put Al Gore on it, looks like classic global warming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 I've been laying underneath this damn xray machine for 2 hours now and I only feel like my sperm counts dropped, might take a while before the powers kick in. Well, you do have to be careful. Super powers are unpredictable. Sounds like you're going to be "Infertile Man". Good luck with the costume. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corcaigh Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Sounds like you're going to be "Infertile Man". Good luck with the costume. It could be worse, such as Infertile Man's sidekick "Incontinence boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiLfan Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 It could be worse, such as Infertile Man's sidekick "Incontinence boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mufumonk Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Well, you do have to be careful. Super powers are unpredictable.Sounds like you're going to be "Infertile Man". Good luck with the costume. ~Bang I'd rather be "Infertile Man" than "Beastiality Boy". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherick Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Someone find Samus Aran quick! She's the best of the best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 It could be worse, such as Infertile Man's sidekick "Incontinence boy" :rotflmao: ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USS Redskins Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Need to put Al Gore on it, looks like classic global warming :rotflmao: Al Gore to the Rescue! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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