Iapetus: Saturn's Disappearing Moon
Credit & Copyright: NASA,
Voyager,
Copyright Calvin J. Hamilton
Explanation:
Iapetus has an unusual surface, one half of which is very dark, the other
half very light. This caused it's discoverer
Cassini to remark that
Iapetus could only be seen when on one side of Saturn but not the other.
The reason for the difference between hemispheres is presently unknown.
Iapetus is the third largest of
Saturn's moon behind
Titan and
Rhea. Iapetus
is composed predominantly of water ice.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
