Carolyn Porco
Carolyn Porco
Carolyn C. Porcois an American planetary scientist known for her work in the exploration of the outer solar system, beginning with her imaging work on the Voyager missions to Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune in the 1980s. She leads the imaging science team on the Cassini mission currently in orbit around Saturn. She is an expert on planetary rings and the Saturnian moon, Enceladus...
abundance dark expected models realized recent side surprised
Well, in some sense we should have expected, if the recent models are correct, to see them on the dark side where the photoelectron abundance is low. So, I was surprised to see them. But once they showed up, I realized we should have expected them there all along.
interested lookout phenomena since
We've been on the lookout for them since February, 2004. Spokes are one of those Saturn-system phenomena that we are keenly interested in understanding.
alone mission
If we had done nothing else, these findings alone would have made the Cassini mission worthwhile.
ball hit
If we're right, we've just hit the ball right out of the park.
looking phenomena rings seen since
Since we hadn't ever seen the rings in this kind of detail, we were looking for phenomena we'd never seen before.
looking south
We're looking at some kind of focusing. We can't say why it would be at the south pole.
acquired details express fine images orbit purpose rings seeing seen
We acquired this spectacular, one-of-a-kind set of images immediately after getting into orbit for the express purpose of seeing fine details in the rings that we had not seen previously.
appreciate blown ring scientist
I don't think you have to be a ring scientist to appreciate this. I'm blown away.
best last looking moment seen
We are at this very moment looking to see what the best times are for retargeting. Hopefully, we haven't seen the last of them.
team data hands
While I was there, Voyager flew by Saturn. I got involved with a person who was a member of the imaging team and started working on data from Saturn, ... With all that data coming in, the imaging team didn't have enough hands or scientists to work on all of it.
moon world territory
We have at last glimpsed the surface of the fabled world, Titan, Saturn's largest moon and the greatest single expanse of unexplored territory remaining in the Solar System today,
understanding saturn spokes
Spokes are one of those Saturn-system phenomena that we are keenly interested in understanding.
heart body littles
For planetary explorers like us, there is little that can compare to the sighting of activity on another solar system body. This has been a heart-stopper, and surely one of our most thrilling results.
dark sides spokes
We had convinced ourselves that conditions wouldn't be right for seeing spokes on the lit side of the rings until about 2007, ... But this finding seems to be telling us that conditions on the dark side of the rings are almost as good right now for seeing spokes.