Crescent Saturn
Explanation:
From Earth, Saturn never shows a crescent phase.
But when viewed from a spacecraft the
majestic giant planet
can show just a sunlit slice.
This image of crescent
Saturn
in natural color was taken by the robotic
Cassini spacecraft
in 2007.
It captures
Saturn's
rings from the side of the ring plane opposite
the Sun -- the
unilluminated side -- another
vista not visible from Earth.
Visible are
subtle colors of
cloud bands, the complex
shadows of the rings on the planet, and
the
shadow of the planet
on the rings.
The moons
Mimas, at 2 o'clock, and
Janus 4 o'clock, can be seen as specks of
light, but the real challenge is to find
Pandora (8 o'clock).
From Earth, Saturn's disk is nearly full now and
opposite the Sun.
Along with bright fellow giant planet Jupiter it
rises
in the early evening.
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.
