Probe sees 'Pac-man' Shape in Saturns Moon

The Cassini spacecraft in orbit around Saturn has caught an interesting new view of the tiny moon Mimas.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/d0422c811cd4.jpg[/atsimg]

The probe measured temperature differences across the object's surface and produced a map that looks just like the 1980s Pac-Man video games icon.

Scientists are unsure why Mimas should display such variations but say it is probably related to the diversity of textures in the surface materials.

Nice one. Wonder when they will find other famous 'ATARI' games in other moons.

diversity of textures in the surface materials

Wonder what these surface materials consist of?



g.

news.bbc.co.uk...

Yeah I saw this on BBC news. Interesting stuff indeed. By the way they refer to "different textures" I imagine they mean that hotter side is smoother... a smaller surface area retains more heat I guess?

I'm still interested to see if Enceladus has liquid water. If I recall correctly, Cassini analyzed dust that contained salt water particles, which can only exist in a large body of liquid water.

That's no moon...




(anyone who did not recognize this as a joke: this was a joke. or at least a Star Wars reference. and those seem to pass for jokes pretty well these days.)

As I've always said:

"Video games are the true universal language"

The crater in front of Pac-Man also looks like one of those power-up pills he eats in the game!

Rev

[edit on 30/3/2010 by revmoofoo]