Friday, June 17, 2005, 16:00
WHGA Auditorium
N. Thomas, Univ. Bern
Abstract:
The Huygens probe entered the atmosphere of Saturn's largest moon, Titan
on January 14, 2005. The probe provided data for over 2 hours during the
descent through the atmosphere and, unexpectedly, operated on the
surface of Titan for more than an hour. The data show a remarkable
landscape with what appear to be hills, methane streams, ground fogs,
and a brittle and rocky surface. The presentation will discuss the
reason for our interest in Titan, what happened to the probe during its
descent through the atmosphere, and the first interpretation of the
data.