Ringed Planet - Blog Posts
Triangulum Log - Post 5 - The Vista System (Planet 4)
The Vista System’s 4th and outermost planet. This dry cold desert world orbits 1.45 AU from the sun. It is the system’s only super-earth type planet with a mass of 4.37 times that of Earth, and a diameter of 11,656 kilometers (1.82 Earth’s). It is surrounded by a dark-gray ring system, likely a shattered satellite that got too close. The atmosphere is thin and dry, composed primarily of carbon dioxide and smaller quantities of ammonia and methane. The surface is cold with a global average temperature of -94° F
A single large satellite orbits close to the planet. The moon has a radius of 1,091 kilometers and a mass one-quarter that of Earth’s moon.
High Resolution Pics
Image 1 - Planet 4
Image 2 - Dusty world
Image 3 - The wastelands
Image 4 - Endless Sand
Image 5 - A glimpse of home. The Milky Way, and Magellanic Cloud Galaxies.
Image 6 - Faint rings
Image 7 - The Lone companion
Image 8 - Dead world
Image 9 - Conjunction
Image 10 - Pre-eclipse
Triangulum Log - Post 5 - Vista System (Planet 3)
Our journey of the Vista System now takes us to the third and largest planet in the system. This gas giant has 1.14 times the mass of Jupiter and a mean radius of 73,934 kilometers. It is much warmer than Jupiter at -41° F versus Jupiter’s -163° F, and as a result has extremely active weather patterns and a stormy atmosphere. Cloud decks are composed primarily of water-ice crystals.
The planet orbits 0.88 astronomical units from the sun, has an extensive ring system composed of silicate-rich materials, and a single large satellite. The planet’s satellite has a radius of 1,360.71 kilometers and a mass roughly 70% that of our moon. It has an average density of 4.82 g/cm³, indicating a large metal-rich core region.
Links to High Resolution Pics
Image 1 - A Giant and her rings.
Image 2 - Beautiful faint ring system.
Image 3 - Stormy Skies
Image 4 - Ring Shepard.
Image 5 - Andromeda Photobombs the rings. (High Exposure Shot)
Image 6 -Battered moon.
Image 7 - David and Goliath
Image 8 - High and Seek
Image 9 - Parting Ways