APOD: 2025 February 23 Б Saturn in Infrared from Cassini
Explanation:
Saturn looks slightly different in infrared light.
Bands of clouds show great structure, including long
stretching storms.
Also quite striking in
infrared is the unusual
hexagonal cloud pattern surrounding
Saturn's North Pole.
Each side of the dark
hexagon spans roughly the width of our Earth.
The hexagon's existence was not predicted,
and its origin and likely stability remain a topics of research.
Saturn's famous
rings
circle the planet and
cast shadows below the equator.
The featured image was taken by the robotic
Cassini spacecraft in 2014 in several infrared colors.
In 2017 September, the
Cassini mission was brought to a
dramatic conclusion when the spacecraft was
directed to dive into the ringed giant.
Your Sky Surprise:
What picture did APOD feature on your birthday? (post 1995)
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.
