Saturn's Majestic Rings Are the Topic of Free Lectures

MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE
JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA 91109. TELEPHONE (818) 354-5011
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov

Carolina Martinez (818) 354-9382
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

NEWS RELEASE: 2004-175 July 12, 2004

Saturn's Majestic Rings Are the Topic of Free Lectures

Two free public programs in Pasadena this week will
present the dramatic story of Saturn, its majestic rings
and dozens of moons.

On June 30, 2004, the Cassini spacecraft's nearly
seven-year voyage to Saturn ended and a new chapter
began when the spacecraft closed in on Saturn, slipped
through a gap between its rings and sent back stunning
pictures of the hundreds of bands that encircle the planet.

Dr. Linda Spilker, deputy project scientist for the
Cassini-Huygens mission at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
Pasadena, Calif., will describe the adventure while
sharing pictures and the latest science results on
Thursday evening, July 15, at JPL, and on Friday evening,
July 16, at Pasadena City College.

Saturn's rings comprise millions of icy particles ranging
in size from dust to large boulders. The particles undergo
an intricate dance as they orbit Saturn. The gravity of
nearby moons causes the ring particles to bump into each
other and create interesting patterns in the rings, such
as waves and wakes. The Saturn ring system also includes
ring gaps, narrow ringlets, spokes, diffuse rings, and
sharp ring edges.

In addition to being deputy project scientist for Cassini,
Spilker is a co-investigator on the Cassini composite
infrared spectrometer team. She has worked on Cassini
since 1988. Since joining JPL in 1977 she has also
worked on the Voyager project and conducted independent
research on the origin and evolution of planetary ring
systems. Spilker received her PhD from the University
of California, Los Angeles, in geophysics and space
physics.

Both lectures will begin at 7 p.m. Seating is first-come,
first-served. The Thursday lecture will be in JPL's von
Karman Auditorium. JPL is at 4800 Oak Grove Dr., off
the Oak Grove Drive exit of the 210 (Foothill) Freeway.
The Friday lecture will be in Pasadena City College's
Vosloh Forum, 1570 E. Colorado Blvd. For more information,
call (818) 354-0112. Thursday's lecture will be webcast
live and available afterwards at

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures/jul04.cfm .

For the latest images and more information about the
Cassini-Huygens mission, visit

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov

and

http://www.nasa.gov/cassini .

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