Peggy, new Saturnian moon born?

  • Thread starter PhysicoRaj
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Moon
In summary, Cassini has recently witnessed a bright bump at the edge of Saturn's rings, indicating the formation of a probable moon. Scientists say that this might be one of the last moon formation incident taking place in the planets ring system, since the rings are no longer rich with material and might be depleted to form moons. If confirmed, the informally recognised Peggy will stand the 63rd moon of the gas giant.
  • #1
PhysicoRaj
Gold Member
538
49
Cassini has recently witnessed a bright bump at the edge of Saturn's rings, indicating the formation of a probable moon.
saturn-moon02.jpg
saturn-moon.jpg

If confirmed, the informally recognised Peggy will stand the 63rd moon of the gas giant.
Scientists say that this might be one of the last moon formation incident taking place in the planets ring system, since the rings are no longer rich with material and might be depleted to form moons.
http://time.com/63356/saturn-new-moon/
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-27056698
http://www.engadget.com/2014/04/16/nasa-cassini-saturn-moon/
The new arrival has not been spotted directly yet. What Cassini, which has been orbiting through the Saturnian system since 2004, has seen instead is a sort of bulge in Saturn’s A Ring—the outermost of its larger, brighter bands—that measures 750 mi. (1,200 km) long and 6 mi. (10 km) wide. The rings — made of ice, rock and dust — are believed to be the nurseries in which all of the moons were born, with material coalescing and clumping, adding more mass and thus more gravity, and growing bigger still. The new moon—if it exists—is a pipsqueak, perhaps only 0.5 mi. (0.8 km) in diameter, somewhere within the 750-mi. clump, though there’s no telling exactly how large it will get.
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
  • #3
Moon formation is a long process.. We've to wait for NASA's confirmation.
They expect to close in on Peggy by late 2016.
“Cassini’s orbit will move closer to the outer edge of the 'A' ring in late 2016 and provide an opportunity to study Peggy in more detail and perhaps even image it.” - Dr Carl Murray of Queen Mary University of London - Icarus

There's a great deal of detail here: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001910351400150X


[Source=[URL="http://www.sci-news.com/space/science-peggy-cassini-saturn-new-icy-moon-01855.html"]sci-news[/URL]]
 

1. What is the significance of "Peggy", the new Saturnian moon?

The discovery of Peggy, the new Saturnian moon, is significant because it adds to our understanding of the complex system of moons orbiting Saturn. It also raises questions about how moons are formed and the potential for even more undiscovered moons in the Saturn system.

2. How was Peggy discovered?

Peggy was discovered by NASA's Cassini spacecraft in 2013. The spacecraft detected a disturbance in Saturn's outermost ring, the A ring, which led scientists to discover a new moon orbiting within the ring.

3. What is the size and composition of Peggy?

Peggy is estimated to be approximately 1 kilometer in diameter, making it one of the smallest moons in the Saturn system. It is believed to be made mostly of ice and rock, similar to other moons in the Saturnian system.

4. How does Peggy's orbit compare to other Saturnian moons?

Peggy's orbit is unique compared to other Saturnian moons. It orbits within the A ring, making it the smallest moon to be discovered within a planetary ring. Its orbit is also elliptical, meaning it is not a perfect circle like many of Saturn's other moons.

5. What further research is being done on Peggy?

Scientists are continuing to study Peggy to learn more about its orbit, composition, and potential interactions with other moons in the Saturn system. Further research may also shed light on the formation of moons and planetary rings in our solar system.

Similar threads

  • Sci-Fi Writing and World Building
Replies
21
Views
806
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • MATLAB, Maple, Mathematica, LaTeX
Replies
1
Views
2K
Back
Top