Titan is the largest moon of Saturn, and the only moon in the solar system to have a significant atmosphere. Predominantly composed of nitrogen (N2), it has a 1.5 bar surface pressure, similar to the Earth in these respects. However there are important differences, as Titan's atmosphere is much colder and contains a variety of hydrocarbons and organic species as important minor constituents, but few oxygen compounds.

With the arrival of the Cassini-Huygens space mission in 2004, our knowledge of Titan - previously derived mainly from the Voyager missions several decades earlier - expanded dramatically. The Huygens probe descended to the surface by parachute, making in situ atmospheric measurements, while Cassini continued to orbit Saturn, making regular encounters with Titan: more than 80 to date.

In this talk I will introduce Titan and the Cassini mission in general, before zooming in to discuss the suite of four 'optical' remote sensing instruments in more detail. Together these cameras and spectrometers sense the EM spectrum from EUV to sub-millimeter wavelengths (not counting the RADAR and radio experiments.) I will highlight key findings from the mission so far, saying how they have changed our understanding of Titan as a world, and conclude with some open questions and expectations for the remainder of the mission duration (through 2017).

Location: Physics Bldg., Room 401