Cassini division

noun

Astronomy.

1. a 3,000-mile (4,800-km) wide dark region that separates the middle and outermost rings of the planet Saturn.

Cassini division

1. The large gap between Saturn's two most prominent rings (the outer A ring and middle B ring), appearing as a dark void but actually containing small amounts of opaque material. It is formed as a result of particles being removed from the area by the gravitational pull of Mimas, one of the smaller of Saturn's moons. The division is named after the Italian astronomer, Giovanni D. Cassini (1625–1712), who discovered it in 1675.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Cassini division¹

First recorded in 1870–75; named after Italian astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini (1625–1712), who discovered it in 1675

Example Sentences

A telescope will also easily reveal a 3,000-mile-wide gap in the rings known as the Cassini Division and a few of Saturn’s largest moons.

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A telescope will also easily reveal the Cassini Division, a large 3,000-mile-wide dark gap in the rings, and a few of Saturn’s largest moons floating nearby.

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Right now, the very visible tilt of the rings toward our planet affords exquisite views of the Cassini Division, a dark and distinctive gap that separates the system’s two brightest rings.

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At this angle you’ll catch a view of a dark gap that separates the rings in two parts called the “Cassini Division.”

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The large gap between Saturn’s outer A and middle B rings, the Cassini division, was discovered by astronomer Giovanni Cassini in 1675.

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