The Cassini spacecraft, currently orbiting Saturn, mapped out the temperature across the surface of Mimas, the moon famously known for its massive Herschel Crater, using the craft’s infrared spectrometer. Rather than finding a gradual change in temperature based on how far each region had rotated into the sunlight, scientist found a baffling, distinct separation in temperatures. The side that had only just entered the sunlight (or “morning” on Mimas) showed the warmest readings, while a smaller spot of warmth was found near Herschel, resulting in a temperature map that resembled the iconic Pac-Man character.
Paul Helfenstein, a member of Cassini’s imaging team, noted that the process behind this finding is not unique to Mimas. Thus, there is hope that we may yet find Mrs. Pac-Man nearby.
That Herschel crater was the reason why Mimas was nicknamed “the death star”
Ale
April 3, 2010, 5:43pm
#2
Interesting, maybe the ejecta from the crater absorbs more heath during the day and thus the surface remains warmer during the night?
Not being an astronomer, my first guess was that the warmer area might be at a higher elevation than the sort-of circular area between it and the crater, and catches more sunlight. Or else there is a density difference.
“Nice stealthing, Darth – it looks just like a moon, as long as they don’t check it out in infrarred.”
If one squints a little, one can see the vague shape of a ghost about to be swallowed by Pac-Man.
