Updating some solar system features

[fsgregs]

Hi all:

In reading through this month's Astronomy magazine, I was surprised at the number of revised images or facts about some familiar solar system objects that have been making the news. These include:

* A new surface for Enceladus, with its bluish streaks and steam geysers
* A new very detailed texture of Jupiter taken by Cassini in Dec/2000 and just released by the Cassini imaging team in March 2006.
* The new blue colored outer ring of both Saturn and Uranus
* A new size for Xena (planet 10), downgraded to a radius of 1200 km
* The sponge texture of Hyperion

This is all in addition to the work being done on Earth and Mars textures by Don Edwards and other forum regulars. I'm sure I've missed some new stuff.

Is anyone working on updating the above? If not, I can start working on them over the summer, but I have no experience in image manipulation, and don't come close to the expertise of some other forum members. I have no idea how to create a ring texture, let alone a blue one. Before I expend the time, is anyone else doing any of this?




Frank

[Don. Edwards]

I did some playing around with the new Jupiter imagery. It turned out ok but I want to add the new Junior Red Spot to it. Then I will release it.

BTW, thanks for promoting my work Frank.

Don. Edwards

[buggs_moran]

I did some playing around with the new Jupiter imagery. It turned out ok but I want to add the new Junior Red Spot to it. Then I will release it.

Just a little update on Red Jr while we are on the topic. You may want to hold off if Red Jr dissapates...
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/05jun_redperil.htm

[buggs_moran]

* The new blue colored outer ring of both Saturn and Uranus

Might want to ask for an update to that here http://www.shatters.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8602

[Boux]

Hi, there,
Actually, I have made a blue E-ring texture that looks pretty.
There are issue, though.
The E-ring is sitting at Enceladus orbit and lies from some 180,000 to 480,000 kilometers from Saturn's center, spreading over 300,000 kilometers.
A single texture for both the "regular" rings and the E-ring that would cover this huge distance - even a 4k one - would be overstretched and a lot of useful pixels wasted in the void between the regular rings and the new E-ring.
Putting a body inside Saturn with the same orbital parameters as Saturn and declaring the E-ring as a ring for this body does not work.
I am figuring out some other possible solutions and will come back here.
By the way, it looks like the E-ring is thick, some 1,000 kilometers with some 8- or X- shaped cross-section with the thinner part at Enceladus' orbit. Celestia's flat rendering of rings is unable to produce anything realistic. Only a huge 3d model with hundred thousands (or millions) polys would be able to simulate it.
If I find a "flat" solution, I have also got a red G-ring to add in there, just for fun.

EDIT:
Finally, I have a workable texture+ssc file
I will post picts tonight.