Atlas, Daphnis, and Pan
Explanation:
Atlas,
Daphnis, and
Pan
are small, inner, ring moons of Saturn.
They are shown at the same scale in
this
montage of images by the
Cassini spacecraft that made its
grand
final orbit of the ringed planet in September 2017.
In fact, Daphnis was discovered in Cassini images from 2005.
Atlas and Pan were first sighted in images from the
Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft.
Flying saucer-shaped Atlas orbits near the outer edge of Saturn's
bright A Ring while Daphnis orbits
inside the A Ring's
narrow Keeler Gap
and Pan within
the A Ring's larger Encke Gap.
The curious
equatorial ridges of the small ring moons
could be built up by the
accumulation of ring material over time.
Even diminutive
Daphnis makes waves in the
ring material as it glides along the edge of the Keeler Gap.
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.
