A Shadow on the Rings of Saturn
Explanation:
This picture of Saturn could not have been taken from Earth.
No Earth based picture could possibly view the
night side of Saturn
and the corresponding shadow cast across Saturn's rings.
Since Earth is much closer to the
Sun than
Saturn,
only the day side of the planet is visible from the Earth.
Rather,
this picture was taken by the robot
Cassini spacecraft that began orbiting Saturn earlier this month.
The dark western limb of
Saturn
looms large on the image right, while complex concentrations of
small ring particles reflect sunlight on the image left.
Saturn's
enigmatic F ring is visible around the outside, showing
mysterious knots.
The small moon
Epimetheus,
only about 100 kilometers across, can also been seen on the far left.
Cassini is scheduled to drop a
probe toward the largest moon
Titan in December.
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.
