Cassini Spacecraft Approaches Jupiter
Explanation:
A new spacecraft has entered the outer Solar System:
Cassini.
Launched in 1997
and bound for Saturn in 2004, Cassini sent back the
above image last week while approaching the giant planet
Jupiter.
Cassini joins the
Galileo spacecraft currently in orbit
around Jupiter in studying the gas giant and its moons.
In fact,
observations involving
both spacecraft
simultaneously are planned in the coming months.
This color picture
was taken when Cassini was 81.3 million kilometers
from Jupiter.
The alternating dark and bright bands characteristic of
Jupiter's cloud tops
can be easily seen.
Jupiter's moon
Europa is
also seen at the far right of the image
casting a round shadow on the planet.
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.
