Tethys, Rings, and Shadows
Explanation:
Seen from
ice moon Tethys,
rings and shadows would play across
fantastic
views of the Saturnian system.
Haven't
dropped in on Tethys lately?
Then
this
gorgeous ringscape from the Cassini spacecraft
will have to do for now.
Caught
in sunlight
just below and left of picture center,
Tethys itself is about 1,000 kilometers in diameter and
orbits not quite
five saturn-radii from the center
of the gas giant planet.
At that distance (around 300,000 kilometers) it is well outside Saturn's
main
bright rings, but Tethys is still
one of five
major moons that find themselves within the boundaries of
the faint and tenuous outer
E
ring.
Discovered in the 1980s, two very small moons
Telesto
and Calypso are locked in stable
locations
along Tethys' orbit.
Telesto precedes and Calypso follows Tethys as the trio
circles Saturn.
Tomorrow's picture: stereo Saturday
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.
