Longtime BB pal Jim Leftwich says:
Have you seen the latest high-resolution photos of the Saturnian moon, Hyperion, sent back by the Cassini spacecraft? (Higher-res versions available here.)Hyperion resembles a gigantic loofah sponge! The high-resolution photo of Hyperion was taken on September 26, 2005 when the Cassini was 62,000 km (38,500 miles) from Hyperion.
Scientists are now studying these new photos to determine why so many of these craters are filled with a dark material, and why Hyperion has such different surface features than the other 49 known moons of Saturn.
Hyperion is one Saturn's smaller moons. It is also irregularly shaped, with dimensions of 360 km (224 miles) x 280 km (174 miles) x 225 km (140 miles). It's rotational period varies from one orbit to the next, and tumbles in an irregular, chaotic motion.
UPDATE: BB reader Ryan Freebern writes in, "A loofah looks more like a large, semi-hollow corncob, as seen here. IMO, Hyperion actually much more closely resembles a regular old sea sponge, like this one."
Jim Leftwich responds, "By crackey you are right sir! Much thanks! In my zeal to use the excellent word, 'loofah,' I got all discombobulated."
