Saturn Mimas tread a riddle. It is not only strikingly similar to the "Death Star" from "Star Wars", was photographed for the first time, although much later than the film. Strange things, and scientists suspect at Mimo inside.
Remember that some time ago described almost mystical story of the strange Saturn's moon Mimas and its stunning similarity to the Death Star from "Star Wars"? The most interesting thing in the history that was first created in the film, but only after one of the first "long-distance" probes Pioneer 11 Saturn from Mimas district sent the first photo of it - it pulled out of the eye of the "Death Star". But then the film makers nusižiūrėti the idea of the body of the Mimo was no scientific and technological chance!
It was a mystical appearance Mimo mystery. But now researchers Mimas breathtaking conquered again. In the "Death Star" puzzled like Saturn's moon no less bizarre mysteries hidden in the depths of the most recent results speak.
Making the rotation and orbit around Saturn, the country recalls the pendulum swings. This oscillation is called a libration - a feature has virtually all the moons that are affected by the neighboring planets gravity.
However, the probe Cassini studied the pictures of Cornell University (USA), the researchers found that Mimo sway amplitude is much higher than it should be. Radwan Tajeddine'as led the study speculated that this may lead to strange things in the sky inside the body.
"The findings greatly gladdened us, they may mean that the satellite is within the very interesting things - press release R. Tajeddine'as taught.
Astronomers of the celestial bodies in the depths of the rotational and orbital characteristics of decided a long time ago. The major processes of rocking Mimo explains its rotation and orbit, but the libration amplitude was significantly higher than expected.
Cornell University researchers examined five models Mimo depths and tried to determine which one is most similar to the natural movement of Mimo. The hypothesis that Mimo interior is monolithic and uniform, was probably rejected. The researchers were quick to dismiss the other two options - to Mimo core is composed of two layers of normal and 142 km diameter crater on Mimas which is similar to the "Death Star" can be mass anomaly.
Left two hypothetical models. Both of them explain the unusual Mimo libration. First formulated the idea that Saturn's moon has elongated oval-shaped nucleus. This could lead to deformation of the nucleus, where Mimas still evolving. Another version - Mimo ripple in the depths of the ocean. Much like Jupiter's moon Europe.
Although the latter did not exclude the possibility, R. Tajeddine'as questions whether it's real. Scientists Mime no signs of liquid water found, although other satellites of Saturn that is the case. In addition, the Mimo core warmth easily evaporate through Mimo thin ice sheets, so subterranean ocean would rapidly freeze.
Mimas is the smallest and closest to the ringed giant Saturn's largest satellite in Eight member. "Space.com writes that Mimo gigantic crater occupies about a third of the ice-covered surface of the moon, while gazing at the sky in an impressive body shots Certainly not.
Cornell University researchers published findings in the journal Science.
