Saturn and its moon-shaped flying saucer

April 22, 2012

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Cassini was able to capture this image. Pan is one of the many moons orbiting Saturn. As it is noted Pan is very special because its shape resembles a flying saucer.

The astronomers were astounded to see close to Pan for the first time, never imagined that its form was so particular. This satellite is similar to Atlas; another moon has a rare form.

Experts initially thought that these characteristics were taken for the enormous speed of rotation of the moons, but these take 14 hours, which is very slow considering that Pan is 22 kilometers from pole to pole.

Then, when they analyzed the material of these moons, determined that it coincides with the objects that Saturn has its rings, thus the formation of Pan and Atlas are due to ancient collisions of the material.