Cassini Images The Moon
Explanation:
On August 18, the
Cassini spacecraft
flew by the
Earth and Moon, then
continued on its way to the outer solar system.
Near its closest approach
to the Moon, a distance of
about 377,000 kilometers, controllers tested
Cassini's imaging systems on this most
familiar celestial body.
This composite picture shows three resulting lunar images
from the green, blue, and ultraviolet regions of
the spectrum (left to right).
Prominant in the upper right of each image is the dark, round
Mare Crisium (Sea of Crises) at the eastern edge
of the Moon's near side.
With its cameras clearly functioning well, Cassini's next
way-point will be Jupiter in December 2000.
It is expected to arrive at its final destination,
the Saturnian system, in 2004.
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.
