Cassini Looks Out from Saturn
Explanation:
This is what Saturn looks like from inside the rings.
Last week, for the
first time, NASA directed
the
Cassini spacecraft
to swoop between Saturn and its rings.
During
the
dive,
the robotic spacecraft took hundreds of images showing
unprecedented detail for structures in Saturn's atmosphere.
Looking back out, however, the spacecraft was also able to capture impressive vistas.
In the
featured image taken a few hours before closest approach,
Saturn's unusual northern
hexagon is seen surrounding the North Pole.
Saturn's C ring is the closest visible, while the dark
Cassini Division separates the inner B ring from the
outer A.
A close inspection will find the
two small
moons that
shepherd the
F-ring,
the farthest ring discernable.
This image is
raw and will be officially
verified, calibrated and released at a later date.
Cassini remains on schedule to
end its mission
by plunging into Saturn's atmosphere on September 15.
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.
