A Close Pass of Saturns Moon Dione
Explanation:
What's that past Dione?
When making its closest pass yet of Saturn's moon
Dione
late last year, the robotic Cassini spacecraft snapped this far-ranging picture featuring
Dione, Saturn's rings, and the two small moons
Epimetheus and
Prometheus.
The
above image
captures part of the heavily cratered snow-white surface of the 1,100 kilometer wide
Dione, the thinness of Saturn's rings, and the
comparative darkness
of the smaller moon
Epimetheus.
The image was taken when Cassini was only about 100,000 kilometers from the
large icy moon.
Future events in Cassini's
continuing exploration of Saturn and its moons include tomorrow's
flyby of Titan
and imaging the
distant Earth
passing behind Saturn in June.
Gallery:
Images of Yesterday's Eclipse
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.
