Episode14: Titan

After a 7 year journey, Cassini/ Huygens arrived at Saturn in 2004
and Huygens landed on the surface of Titan on January 14th 2005.
The only moon within the solar system known to have a substantial
atmosphere. On Monday 3rd of July 1989 it was possible to study the
atmosphere of Titan from here on Earth when it occulted a 5.8mag
star 28 Sagittarius. Ken Irving from Salford Astronomical Society
describes the observation he made and video recording of the
unexpected central flash. Available below. Using data from the
onboard Acoustic Sensor Unit, the Planetary Society compressed
Huygens two and half hour descent into a 10 second audio clip.
After landing, Huygens continued to transmit data including those
incredible pictures of the surface for another 70 minutes until the
communication link to Earth - Cassini disappeared over the horizon.
It would not come in range again for 40 days by when Huygens’
batteries were dead. There in its dark cold -180C deep freeze it
remains. Probably intact. Professor John Zarnecki from the Open
University who lead the Surface Science Package team talk a little
about the achievements f the Cassini/Huygens mission.