Images captured by the Cassini spacecraft have shown disturbances in Saturn's A ring, the outermost of the bright rings. The disturbances include unusual protuberances in the ring's edge, and a 1200km long by 10km wide arc that is 20% brighter than the adjacent areas of the ring. According to a NASA article "Scientists believe the arc and protuberances are caused by the gravitational effects of a nearby object". The lead author of the report, Carl Murray of Queen Mary University of London stated "We may be looking at the act of birth, where this object is just leaving the rings and heading off to be a moon in its own right." The object nicknamed "Peggy" is estimated to be approximately 1km in diameter. The Cassini spacecraft will be closer to the edge of the A ring in 2016 and may even be able to capture an image of the object itself.
(Score: 3, Funny) by dotdotdot on Wednesday April 16 2014, @01:43PM
(Score: 3, Funny) by oodaloop on Wednesday April 16 2014, @03:05PM
I find your lack of original comments disturbing.
Many Bothans died to bring you this comment.
(Score: 2) by dotdotdot on Wednesday April 16 2014, @03:17PM
(Score: 2) by MrGuy on Wednesday April 16 2014, @03:06PM
At what point do we hit the distinction between "slightly-larger-than-normal component of Saturn's rings" and "small moon."
1km is a hefty chunk of rock, but it's not exactly a large object in astronomical terms. Pan (which is one of the smaller moons of Saturn) is 42,000x as massive.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Woods on Wednesday April 16 2014, @03:34PM
They are typically referred to "Moonlets" [wikipedia.org]. Link refers specifically to the moonlets in the A ring.
For the link-lazy:
For context, a propeller shape in the ring is how a moonlet is detected.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Woods on Wednesday April 16 2014, @03:39PM
I forgot to continue my comment after getting the source cited...
I think it is not a big deal every time we find a moonlet, given that there are so many of them. However, I think this one may be more special, given that it is forming at the very edge of the ring, and it appears to be in the prime position to make its way out of the ring entirely. Thus making it an actual moon, and not just a moonlet.
And if that does happen, then this is definitely an important discovery.
(Score: 2) by mhajicek on Wednesday April 16 2014, @03:40PM
When will this be added to Kerbil?
The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
(Score: 1) by DrMag on Wednesday April 16 2014, @05:24PM
I get the impression there's a lot of guesswork going on here.
(Score: 2) by Rivenaleem on Wednesday April 16 2014, @08:15PM
I sure hope it's better than the movie.