Astronomy Picture of the Day
    


Descent to Titan
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Descent to Titan
Credit & Copyright: Cassini Imaging Team, SSI, Cassini-Huygens Mission
Explanation: Today's descent to the surface of Titan by the European Space Agency's Huygens probe is the most distant landing ever attempted by a spacecraft from Earth. At 10:13 UT (5:13am EST, 11:13 CET), Huygens is scheduled to enter the atmosphere of Saturn's large mystery moon at an altitude of 180 kilometers. If all goes as planned, Huygens will then begin deploying a series of parachutes which will control its descent through Titan's dense atmosphere, allowing the probe to reach the surface in about 2 hours. Huygens' landing point is indicated by a yellow dot in this near-infrared image from the Cassini spacecraft ... but it is not known if a solid or liquid surface awaits it. The outermost of the nested octagons is about 1,120 kilometers across. The outlines are labeled by altitude and indicate anticipated areas of coverage by Huygens' imaging instruments during the descent. Go Huygens!

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Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.

Based on Astronomy Picture Of the Day

Publications with keywords: Titan - Huygens probe - cassini spacecraft
Publications with words: Titan - Huygens probe - cassini spacecraft
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