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Image: Saturn's sponge-like moon Hyperion

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That's a stunning object. Found some more here. It looks almost volcanic in origin, like pumice.

 

saturnmoonhyperion.jpg

Edited by StringJunky

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That's a stunning object. Found some more here. It looks almost volcanic in origin, like pumice.

Craters from myriads of asteroid impacts, melting into the ice???

Edited by Robittybob1

Craters from myriads of asteroid impacts, melting into the ice???

 

 

In addition to the surface analysis, Cassini also helped scientists work out why the moon has such a bizarre spongy appearance. It all comes down to an extremely low density. According to new calculations, the moon has only half the density of water. Its low gravity means that normal processes, such as crater formation work differently than on more dense objects in the Solar System. Objects that impact Hyperion plunge in, compressing the surface instead of blasting out the familiar looking craters.

 

http://www.universetoday.com/2054/spongey-hyperion-coated-with-hydrocarbons/

Is there a secret to opening those other pictures?

What are you seeing when you click on one. That link I posted is to a DuckDuckGo search engine search result. Click on a picture and you get a slightly bigger one on the same page. Click on THAT picture and it should give you the full size one.

Edited by StringJunky

Do I remember that these images exaggerate the altitude much, and Hyperion's features are rather flat?

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What are you seeing when you click on one. That link I posted is to a DuckDuckGo search engine search result. Click on a picture and you get a slightly bigger one on the same page. Click on THAT picture and it should give you the full size one.

It must have been the settings on the other computer. This one is displaying images OK thanks.

I have several rocks i collected from the ocean that have that texture, you can pour water through them, the resemblance is amazing...

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I have several rocks i collected from the ocean that have that texture, you can pour water through them, the resemblance is amazing...

Are you talking about pumice?

Seems more an optical illusion than spongy as white coral.

 

Good, am not the only one using DuckDuckGo ! No Google for me !

Are you talking about pumice?

 

 

No, it's some form of fossilized coral or colonial tube worms, all the tubes are more or less parallel, I have quite a large collection, i've been collecting them for more than 40 years... some are as big as basket balls but most while large are irregular shaped..

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No, it's some form of fossilized coral or colonial tube worms, all the tubes are more or less parallel, I have quite a large collection, i've been collecting them for more than 40 years... some are as big as basket balls but most while large are irregular shaped..

Yes I did see something like that in Google images yesterday. The one I wanted is not coming up but this one is close https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.frank.itlab.us/photo-essays/small/sep_03_0146_white_coral.jpg

  • 2 weeks later...

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