Earth Science: Geology, the Environment, and the Universe

Unit 8: Beyond Earth

WebQuest Projects 2

Saturn Revealed: The Cassini-Huygens Mission to the Ringed Giant

Introduction

In this WebQuest, students will investigate the purpose and findings of the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn. They will answer questions about the design and flight plan of the Cassini spacecraft, as well as the physical characteristics of Saturn, its ring system, and its moons. Students will use the information they gather from Internet research to develop a multimedia presentation which demonstrates what space scientists are learning from the Cassini-Huygens mission.

Task

Students will be guided through Internet research by answering a series of seven questions. Each Web site includes answers to some of the questions, but no site alone provides answers to all questions in the series. Students will be able to compile information to complete the question set as they study each Web site.

As students examine the Web sites provided, they will also find pictures, artist sketches, and diagrams that demonstrate what space scientists are learning from the Cassini-Huygens mission. Students will use the information they gather to develop a multimedia presentation. The presentation will creatively display facts about the Cassini spacecraft, Saturn's unique and impressive ring system, and physical features of Saturn and its satellites.

Objectives
  • Describe physical attributes of the planet Saturn, including its mass, diameter, relative density, composition, and rotation and revolution periods.
  • Discuss the contributions made by astronomers Christiaan Huygens and Giovannin Cassini in the 1600's.
  • Identify and describe the components which make up Saturn's ring system.
  • Explain how scientists believe Saturn's ring system formed.
  • Outline the purpose of the Cassini-Huygens mission.
  • Describe the Cassini spacecraft and the Huygens probe.
  • List instruments carried by the Cassini spacecraft.
  • Describe the path taken by the Cassini spacecraft during its journey from Earth to Saturn.
  • Discuss the unique characteristic of Saturn's moon Titan which justifies sending a probe through its atmosphere to gather information.
  • Develop a multimedia presentation highlighting the findings of the Cassini-Huygens mission
Resources

Students will use various Web sites to gather information about the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn. The Web sites provided offer information in written, pictorial, and interactive forms. The sites allow students to view the Saturnian system through the "eyes" the Cassini spacecraft, as they view images being relayed from the outer solar system. Information and images on the sites will be updated throughout the duration of the four-year mission as additional data becomes available.

The resources provided will enable students to answer specific questions about the findings of the Cassini-Huygens mission. The resources are rich in images and information that students can access to create a multimedia presentation about the Saturnian system. Their presentations will incorporate photographs, diagrams, and written information, and will demonstrate the unique characteristics of Saturn and its satellites.

Time

1-2 weeks to research the topic, answer the question set, and design the multimedia presentation

Process

As students conduct Internet research, be available to discuss any of the seven questions they may have difficulty answering. These questions are designed to help students gain sufficient information to develop a multimedia presentation. It is important, therefore, that students feel comfortable with the answers and the data provided.

As students conduct research, remind them to catalog any images they would like to include, as well as specific information that could accompany the images. Descriptions accompanying visual images should be relevant and concise, and designed to clearly describe each image. Give students examples of ways to give credit for any quotes, diagrams, or photographs they use. For example, credit can be given on the same page or slide as the image appears, or compiled on a single page or slide at the end of the multimedia presentation. Regardless of the method used to cite sources, students should understand the importance of giving credit for any information they use to create the final product.

As students conduct research, encourage them to develop a skeletal outline for the presentation. What information and visual images should come first? What is a logical order in which to present information about the findings of the Cassini-Huygens mission?

Be available to provide guidance and answer questions as students develop their presentations. Students should include as much of the suggested information as possible. The finished product should be visually appealing, including clearly labeled photographs or other graphic displays, as well as concise and descriptive written material.

Have students review the rubric. Make sure they understand how the final product will be evaluated.

If time permits, allow students to share their presentations in pairs or small groups of classmates. Encourage students to share their presentations with school staff and family members. If possible, students could present and discuss their work in elementary school classrooms where students are learning about the solar system.

Evaluation

You may assign ten points to each of the seven questions for a total of 70 possible points. The answers to the questions are given below. Rate the answer to each question using the following scale: Excellent – 9-10 points; Very Good – 7-8 points; Good – 5-6 points; Satisfactory – 3-4 points; Poor – 1-2 points; and Unsatisfactory – 0 points.

Answers to Questions About Saturn and the Cassini-Huygens Mission
  1. Answers will vary based on the characteristics students describe. Saturn's diameter is approximately 120,500 kilometers. The planet is composed of hydrogen and helium gas, and its density is the lowest of any planet in the solar system. Astronomers believe the planet has a rocky core that is roughly the size of the Earth. Saturn radiates more energy into space than it receives from the Sun. The planet requires 30 years to orbit the Sun one time, and rotates once every 10.25 minutes. Yellow and gold bands visible in the planet's atmosphere are caused by high-speed winds, as well as heated gas rising from Saturn's interior. Saturn is the second-largest planet in the solar system. It has 31 known moons and an extensive ring system.
  2. Saturn's rings are composed of billions of particles of ice and rock. Some particles are tiny, while others are as large as houses. Scientists believe ring particles are parts of comets, asteroids, or moons which broke apart sometime during the planet's history. Saturn's gravity holds these particles in orbit. There is still a great deal of debate about the formation of Saturn's ring system. Scientists hope that data from the Cassini-Huygens mission will answer unresolved questions.
  3. Christiaan Huygens was a Dutch astronomer who, in 1659, proposed the concept that Saturn was surrounded by a ring system. Huygens also discovered Titan, Saturn's largest moon. Giovanni Cassini was an Italian astronomer who, in 1676, identified the Cassini Division, which is the largest gap in Saturn's ring system. Cassini also discovered some of Saturn's larger moons.
  4. The Cassini spacecraft has a mass of 5650 kilograms. It is more than 6.5 meters tall and more than 4 meters wide. Cassini has several antennas, an antenna dish on its top, and a roughly 3 meter boom which can be deployed to take measurements of magnetic fields. Instruments carried by the Cassini craft include the Composite Infrared Spectrometer, Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer, Cosmic Dust Analyzer, Plasma Spectrometer, and Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument. These instruments measure factors including magnetic fields, mass, electrical charges and densities of atomic particles. They also measure the quantity and composition of dust particles as well as radio waves. The Cassini craft also carries the Huygens probe, which is planned for insertion into the atmosphere of Titan in January, 2005.
  5. The Cassini spacecraft was carried into space during an October, 1997 launch. The craft headed toward the Sun. In April, 1998, Cassini passed Venus, getting a boost from that planet's gravity. A second Venus fly-by and gravity assist took place in June, 1999. In August, 1999, Cassini passed Earth, getting a third gravity boost. From there, Cassini headed toward the outer solar system, passing Jupiter in December, 2004, and arriving at Saturn in July, 2004.
  6. Titan is the only moon in our solar system known to have clouds and a thick, nitrogen-rich atmosphere. Scientists believe Titan's atmosphere also contains methane, ethane, and other organic compounds similar to those that were present in Earth's early atmosphere. Some scientists speculate that some form of life could exist on Titan.
  7. Mimas has one giant crater, measuring 130 kilometers across. The rest of the surface of this moon is completely covered with craters. Iapetus is a moon which has vastly different conditions from one side to the other. One side of this moon is covered by dark debris. The other side is bright and heavily cratered. Phoebe is a small, dark moon which orbits backwards compared to the rotation of Saturn and the paths of the planet's larger moons. It is believed not to have formed near Saturn, but captured by Saturn's gravity as it traveled near the planet.
Evaluating the Multimedia Presentation

Assess each student's scrapbook using the evaluation rubric or some other tool. Evaluation of the scrapbook should include both self-assessment and teacher assessment.

Conclusion

After students have completed this WebQuest, they should be able to describe the purpose and most recent findings of the Cassini-Huygens mission. Students should be able to describe the characteristics of Saturn, its ring system, and some of its moons. They should be able to describe the basic structure of the Cassini spacecraft, some of the instruments it carries, and the general flight plan it followed from its launch in 1997 to its arrival at Saturn in 2004. Students should understand the potential importance of Titan to space scientists, and be able to explain why the Huygens probe was designed specifically to study this moon. The development of a multimedia presentation describing the findings of the Cassini-Huygens mission will demonstrate what students have learned about the Saturnian system and the latest effort to study it from space.

Multimedia Presentation Rubric
Multimedia Presentation RubricPoints PossibleSelf-AssessmentTeacher Assessment
The presentation includes diagrams and photographs which provide visual interest.10  
Visual images in the presentation are described in factual, concise terms.10  
The presentation flows well from one topic and/or image to the next.10  
The presentation provides an in-depth look at Saturn, its ring system, its moons, and the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft.10  
Information in the presentation is well organized and clearly presented, and sources are properly credited.10  

Rate each category according to the following scale:
Excellent – 9-10 points; Very Good – 7-8 points; Good – 5-6 points; Satisfactory – 3-4 points; Poor – 1-2 points; and Unsatisfactory – 0 points.
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