Cassini-Huygens Mission Map Identifies 12 Titanean Mountains

Summary: A Cassini-Huygens mission map identifies 12 Titanean mountains via data collected by the spacecraft’s Visual Mapping Spectrometer and Radar Mapper.

Cassini-Huygens mission map of Saturnian moon Titan identifies locations of 12 mountains named by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) between Dec. 5, 2011, and Nov. 13, 2012; NASA ID PIA16598; 2012-12-14; image credit NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/USGS: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal

A Cassini-Huygens mission map identifies 12 Titanean mountains from data collected by the spacecraft’s Visual Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) and its Radar Mapper.

The NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Image and Video Library and the NASA JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) Photojournal websites added the map to their image galleries on Dec. 12, 2012. The map of Saturnian moon Titan marks the locations of 12 mountains officially named by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) between Dec. 5, 2011, and Nov. 13, 2012.

The IAU’s Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature website, maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Astrogeology Science Center, details the convention for naming Titanean mountains (Latin: mons, “mountain;” montes, “mountains”). Titan’s mountains are named after mountains and peaks located in Middle-earth, the fictional setting in fantasies by English writer John Ronald Reuel “J.R.R.” Tolkien (Jan. 3, 1892-Sept. 2, 1973).

Angmar Montes are centered at minus 10 degrees south latitude, 221.9 degrees west longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Angmar’s northernmost and southernmost latitudes extend to minus 9.5 degrees south and minus 10.5 degrees south, respectively. The Titanean geological formation’s easternmost and westernmost longitudes reach 219.3 degrees west and 224.6 degrees west, respectively. Angmar Montes span 230 kilometers.

Dolmed Montes are centered at minus 11.6 degrees south latitude, 216.8 degrees west longitude. Dolmed’s northernmost and southernmost latitudes occur at minus 8.05 degrees south and minus 14.6 degrees south, respectively. The Titanean geological structure registers easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 213.7 degrees west and 218 degrees west, respectively. Dolmed’s length covers 400 kilometers.

Doom Mons is centered at minus 14.65 degrees south latitude, 40.42 degrees west longitude. The Aztlan darklands region mountain marks northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 14 degrees south and minus 15.3 degrees south, respectively. The cryovolcanic construct, with its eponymous peak, records easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 40 degrees west and 41.13 degrees west, respectively. Doom’s length measures 63 kilometers.

Echoriath Montes are centered at minus 7.4 degrees south latitude, 213.8 degrees west longitude. The Titanean mountain range obtains northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 6.2 degrees south and minus 8.8 degrees south, respectively. The Titanean geological formation’s easternmost and westernmost longitudes are found at 204.8 degrees west and 224.5 degrees west, respectively. Echoriath Montes stretch for 930 kilometers.

Erebor Mons is centered at minus 4.97 degrees south latitude, 36.23 degrees west longitude. The Quivira region mountain’s northernmost and southernmost latitudes reach minus 4.3 south and minus 5.49 south, respectively. Erebor’s easternmost and westernmost longitudes occur at 35.68 degrees west and 36.67 degrees west, respectively. Erebor Mons has a length of 50 kilometers.

Gram Montes are centered at minus 9.9 degrees south latitude, 207.9 degrees west longitude. The northernmost and southernmost latitudes are recorded at minus 9.3 degrees south and minus 11 degrees south, respectively. Easternmost and westernmost longitudes are reached at 205.5 degrees west and 211.2 degrees west, respectively. Gram Montes span 260 kilometers.

Irensaga Montes are centered at minus 5.68 degrees south latitude, 212.71 degrees west longitude. The Adiri region mountain range registers northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 5 degrees south and minus 6.65 degrees south, respectively. The mountain range’s easternmost and westernmost longitudes extend to 210.54 degrees west and 214.73 degrees west, respectively. Irensaga Montes span 194 kilometers.

Merlock Montes are centered at minus 8.9 degrees south latitude, 211.8 degrees west longitude. The Titanean geological formation marks northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 8.4 degrees south and minus 9.6 degrees south, respectively. The mountains record easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 209.8 degrees west and 214.2 degrees west, respectively. Merlock Montes cover 200 kilometers.

Mindolluin Montes are centered at minus 3.3 degrees south latitude, 208.96 degrees west longitude. The Adiri region mountain range’s northernmost and southernmost latitudes reach to minus 1.78 degrees south and minus 4.27 degrees south, respectively. Mindolluin’s easternmost and westernmost longitudes extend to 205.7 degrees west and 213.23 degrees west, respectively. Mindolluin Montes traverse 340 kilometers.

Mithrim Montes are centered at minus 2.16 degrees south latitude, 127.42 degrees west longitude. The Xanadu region mountain range obtains northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 1.2 degrees south and minus 3.2 degrees south, respectively. The Titanean range registers easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 126 degrees west and 128.9 degrees west, respectively. Mithrim Montes cover 147 kilometers.

Rerir Montes are centered at minus 4.8 degrees south latitude, 212.1 degrees west longitude. The Titanean geological formation’s northernmost and southernmost latitudes occur at minus 4.4 degrees south and minus 5.2 degrees south, respectively. Rerir’s easternmost and westernmost longitudes are found at 208.3 degrees west and 216.5 degrees west, respectively. Rerir Montes span 370 kilometers.

Taniquetil Montes are centered at minus 3.67 degrees south latitude, 213.26 degrees west longitude. The Adiri region mountain range records northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 2.9 degrees south and minus 4.16 degrees south, respectively. The range posts easternmost and westernmost longitudes of 211.84 degrees west and 214.77 degrees west, respectively. Taniquetil Montes traverse 130 kilometers.

On Dec. 5, 2011, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) approved names for six of the 12 mountainous Tolkien namesakes identified on the Cassini-Huygens mission map: Angmar, Dolmed, Echoriath, Gram, Merlock and Rerir. Doom, Erebor, Irensaga, Mindolluin, Mithrim and Taniquetil received official name approval on Nov. 13, 2012.

The takeaways for the Cassini-Huygens mission’s map identifying 12 Titanean mountains are that the 2012 map is based on data collected by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft’s Visual Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) and its Radar Mapper; that, according to International Astronomical Union (IAU) convention, mountains on Saturnian moon Titan are named after mountains and peaks in the works of English writer J.R.R. Tolkien; that six of the Titanean mountainous features received official name approval on Dec. 5, 2011; and that six names were approved on Nov. 13, 2012.

Saturn’s rings obscure part of largest Saturnian moon Titan (center-lower left) in image obtained April 28, 2006, by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft’s narrow-angle camera (NAC), at an approximate distance of 1.8 million kilometers (1.1 million miles) from Titan; NASA ID PIA08188; image addition date 2006-05-30; image credit NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Cassini-Huygens mission map of Saturnian moon Titan identifies locations of 12 mountains named by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) between Dec. 5, 2011, and Nov. 13, 2012; NASA ID PIA16598; 2012-12-14; image credit NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/USGS: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16598;
Generally not subject to copyright in the United States; may use this material for educational or informational purposes, including photo collections, textbooks, public exhibits, computer graphical simulations and Internet Web pages; general permission extends to personal Web pages, via NASA Image and Video Library @ https://images.nasa.gov/details-PIA16598; via NASA JPL @ https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA16598

Saturn’s rings obscure part of largest Saturnian moon Titan (center-lower left) in image obtained April 28, 2006, by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft’s narrow-angle camera (NAC), at an approximate distance of 1.8 million kilometers (1.1 million miles) from Titan; NASA ID PIA08188; image addition date 2006-05-30; image credit NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA08188;
Generally not subject to copyright in the United States; may use this material for educational or informational purposes, including photo collections, textbooks, public exhibits, computer graphical simulations and Internet Web pages; general permission extends to personal Web pages, via NASA Image and Video Library @ https://images.nasa.gov/details-PIA08188

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