Celestia Forums

Greetings Celestians!

if I could distract from the trinary sun system planet story for a mo'...

The Enceladus latest raw images have arrived. Just look at these few I've selected!

Enceladus Global Marbling Effect (http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/i ... geID=45575).
Saturn-shine on Enceladus Dark Side Casts Shadows (http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/i ... geID=45687).
Enceladus Close-Up (http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/i ... geID=45711).
Enceladus Close-Close-Up (http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/i ... geID=45681).

Just look at the mountain slightly aboce centre left edge casting a shadow to 2 o'clock. How steep is that mountain? It must be like sugarloaf mountain in Rio de Janeiro.

Enceladus looks to me like a moon half-way between Europa and Miranda.

Also, Epimetheus has been captured with the best detail so far:

Epimetheus (http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/i ... geID=45701).

Spiff.

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA06246

Closer to Enceladus

Official press releases for Enceladus.

Some context for the close up images.
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/i ... ageID=1618

False colour
http://saturn1.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/ ... ageID=1617

A cat has been scratching Enceladus!
http://saturn1.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/ ... ageID=1616

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/thumb/PIA06253.gif

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA06253.jpg

Well,it also says that Enceladus is the most reflective moon in the solar system.Since Europa has even a 8k SpecularTexture,what about creating a specular texture for this little moon?Is it worth or is it nonsense?

symaski62 wrote:http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/thumb/PIA06253.gif

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA06253.jpg

It doesn't mean reflective in the sense of like a mirror, or oceans or smooth ice, but in the sense of 'bright', like snow. This is 'diffuse' reflection. Enceladus sends 99% of light back into space, it is as bright as snow, possibly because it is snow on the ground!

Spiff.