Titan: Moon over Saturn
Explanation:
Like Earth's moon,
Saturn's
largest moon Titan
is locked in synchronous rotation.
This mosaic
of images recorded by the Cassini spacecraft in May of 2012
shows its anti-Saturn side, the side
always facing away from the
ringed gas giant.
The only moon in the solar system with a dense atmosphere,
Titan is the only
solar system world besides Earth known to
have standing bodies of liquid on its surface and an earthlike
cycle of
liquid rain and evaporation.
Its high altitude layer of atmospheric haze is evident in the Cassini
view of the 5,000 kilometer diameter moon over Saturn's rings and cloud
tops.
Near center
is the dark dune-filled region known as
Shangri-La.
The Cassini-delivered Huygens probe rests below and left of center,
after the
most distant landing
for a spacecraft from Earth.
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.
