Grand Finale part 1, F ring orbits Options

[ngunn]

With its second to last swing by Titan the curtain has now opened on Cassini's final act. What wonders will we see in the rings?

[Floyd]

Rev 251-253, Nov 30 - Dec 22, News Room Looking Ahead Link

Should be exciting and starts tomorrow, November 30.

[craigmcg]

Any resources out there folks can suggest for monitoring in near-real time?

[Therion]

Yea! Right here : ))

[B Bernatchez]

Eyes on the Solar System has a Cassini module, if that is what you were looking for.

[craigmcg]

First ring-crossing complete.

https://spacefellowship.com/news/art49608/c...ing-plunge.html

[Ian R]

Cassini got a good look at Enceladus just a couple of days before embarking on the ring-dive orbits:


2016-11-27 --- ENCELADUS QUATRO UNCROPPED


2016-11-27 --- ENCELADUS QUATRO

[Ian R]

Now it looks like we can see clouds on the border of Saturn's north polar region (NPR) casting shadows!

[Hungry4info]

Quick question: When Cassini's periapsis is between the planet and rings, would we be able to get a measurement of the planet's core mass (like Juno is doing at Jupiter)?

[Paolo]

IIRC this is one of the scientific objectives of this mission phase

[Decepticon]

Could Cassini see dust particulate falling above the ring plane into the upper atmosphere?

I imagine Saturn having a nightly show of shooting stars on the night side.

[jasedm]

Yes, this is one of the main grand finale objectives, but not achievable until Cassini makes the last major orbit amendment in April next year and begins those revolutions which take it between the inner edge of the D-ring and the planet itself. This provides the opportunity to separate out the mass of the planet and the rings themselves,

[JohnVV]

Any resources out there folks can suggest for monitoring in near-real time?

i am updating the Cassini Celesta SPICE files on celestailmatters
date time span from jan 2015 to april 2017

this is using the spice orbits !!!!! in celestia and NOT!!! the default
http://forum.celestialmatters.org/viewforum.php?f=18

as of right now cassini is here

[Ian R]

The G-ring as seen by ISS on the 4th:

[JRehling]

Now it looks like we can see clouds on the border of Saturn's north polar region (NPR) casting shadows!

One key difference between Saturn and Jupiter is that Saturn has a much greater scale height, stretching out the vertical structure of the atmosphere. That's a huge advantage for visual recognition of relief in Saturn's clouds.