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Explanation: While cruising around Saturn, be on the lookout for picturesque arrangements of moons, rings, and shadows. One such striking sight occurred in 2005 and was captured by the then Saturn-orbiting Cassini spacecraft. In the featured image, moons Mimas (left) and Tethys (right) are visible on either side of Saturn's thin rings, which are seen nearly edge-on. Across the top of Saturn are dark shadows of the wide rings, exhibiting their impressive complexity. The violet-light image brings up the texture of the backdrop: Saturn's clouds. Cassini orbited Saturn from 2004 until mid-2017, when the robotic spacecraft was directed to dive into Saturn to keep it from contaminating any moons.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Saturn - rings
Publications with words: Saturn - rings
See also:
- APOD: 2026 June 1 Á Saturn at Night
- APOD: 2026 May 6 Á The Retrograde Dance of Saturn and Neptune
- Saturn at Night
- APOD: 2025 October 5 Á A Long Storm System on Saturn
- APOD: 2025 November 16 Á Crossing Saturns Ring Plane
- APOD: 2025 September 25 Á Saturn Opposite the Sun
- APOD: 2025 September 22 Á Equinox at Saturn