CyberSphere brings back Ring World as spacecraft orbits Saturn

Release Date: 7/16/2004. Expired: 8/28/2004

With tons of data and pictures of the planet Saturn and its mysterious rings transmitting back to Earth from the Cassini spacecraft, scientists are learning more and more about the sixth planet of the solar system. Since interest in Saturn is at a new high, The Renaissance Center is bringing back its special CyberSphere show Ring World, which takes a look at the planet and the latest NASA mission.

Ring World shows at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturdays in July and August in the CyberSphere Digital Theater, a four-story domed theater equipped with state-of-the-art starfield, laser and video technology. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for seniors and children under 13.

Nearly seven years after its launch, NASA’s Cassini/Huygens mission to Saturn and its largest moon, Titan, entered orbit around the ringed planet July 1. Cassini will orbit around the Saturnian system for at least four years, gathering vital images and scientific information.

The mission takes its next big step on Dec. 24, 2004, when the Huygens probe will detach from Cassini and head for Titan, with an expected landing on Jan. 14, 2005.

Cassini is the first attempt to enter orbit around Saturn, the sixth planet in the solar system. Pioneer II flew by the planet in 1979, followed by Voyager I in 1980 and Voyager II in 1981. The current mission is an international cooperative, with NASA building the Cassini spacecraft and the European Space Agency building the Huygens probe.

Ring World tells the story of this daring space mission and the wonderful worlds it will explore. Ring World was produced by a team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and written by Dr. Bill Gutsch, former head of the Hayden Planetarium.

Second in size only to Jupiter and 95 times the size of Earth, Saturn has nine major and numerous smaller satellites, of which Titan is the largest. The planet has two distinct rings, made of ice particles, separated by a gap of about 2,500 miles known as Cassini’s Division, named for Italian astronomer Gian Domenico Cassini. The Voyager missions showed that the gap also contains particles that form less distinct rings around the planet.

“We are on the doorstep of getting our closest look ever at Saturn and even going to the surface of Titan,” said Joe Wyatt, assistant director of the CyberSphere. “Ring World shows us not only our best views of Saturn from Pioneer and Voyager, but details the work that went into the Cassini project and what we hope to learn from it.”

For more information on programs in the CyberSphere, call The Renaissance Center at (615)740-5600.

The Renaissance Center is an arts and technology education and performing arts center at 855 Highway 46 South in Dickson, just 35 miles west of Nashville on Interstate 40 at exit 172.

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