Snowblower on Enceladus: Scientists discover how ice jets on the moon feed Saturn's E ring
Tuesday, March 23, 2010 - 16:28
in Astronomy & Space
(PhysOrg.com) -- Cassini's nose dives through Saturn's E ring have yielded insights on the give and take of ice particles between Enceladus and the ring. Some of the moon's jets are successful in shooting ice grains far enough to become part of the E ring. But even the ice grains that make it to the E ring tend to be recaptured by Enceladus within a few orbits as the moon moves around Saturn.