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Search Results: All Fields similar to 'Cassini' and When equal to '2005'
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First Flyby of Dione
| Description |
First Flyby of Dione |
| Full Description |
This map of Saturn's moon Dione, generated from Cassini images taken during the spacecraft's first two orbits of Saturn, illustrates the imaging coverage planned during Cassini's first Dione flyby on Dec. 14, 2004. Colored lines enclose regions that will be covered at different imaging scales as Cassini approaches Dione. Cassini will zoom past Dione at a distance of approximately 81,400 kilometers (50,600 miles) during this flyby. An even closer encounter with Dione is in store for Cassini in October 2005, when the spacecraft is slated to fly past the icy moon at a mere 500 kilometers (311 miles). Images from this week's flyby will be superior in resolution to those obtained by NASA's Voyager 1 in November 1980. Voyager 1 passed Dione at a distance of 161,520 kilometers (100,364 miles) at closest approach, yielding a best resolution of approximately 1 kilometer per pixel. The area to be imaged at highest resolution by Cassini during this upcoming flyby will be centered on the bright, wispy terrain on Dione's trailing hemisphere, marked by the red outline on this map. The resolution of Cassini images in this region will be 500 meters per pixel and better. The map was created by images acquired in visible light using the Cassini narrow angle camera. The highest southern latitudes on Dione have not yet been seen by Cassini, resulting in the map's lower limit of approximately 80 degrees south latitude. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Cassini-Huygens mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission, visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov and the Cassini imaging team home page, http://ciclops.org . Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
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First Flyby of Dione
| Description |
First Flyby of Dione |
| Full Description |
This map of Saturn's moon Dione, generated from Cassini images taken during the spacecraft's first two orbits of Saturn, illustrates the imaging coverage planned during Cassini's first Dione flyby on Dec. 14, 2004. Colored lines enclose regions that will be covered at different imaging scales as Cassini approaches Dione. Cassini will zoom past Dione at a distance of approximately 81,400 kilometers (50,600 miles) during this flyby. An even closer encounter with Dione is in store for Cassini in October 2005, when the spacecraft is slated to fly past the icy moon at a mere 500 kilometers (311 miles). Images from this week's flyby will be superior in resolution to those obtained by NASA's Voyager 1 in November 1980. Voyager 1 passed Dione at a distance of 161,520 kilometers (100,364 miles) at closest approach, yielding a best resolution of approximately 1 kilometer per pixel. The area to be imaged at highest resolution by Cassini during this upcoming flyby will be centered on the bright, wispy terrain on Dione's trailing hemisphere, marked by the red outline on this map. The resolution of Cassini images in this region will be 500 meters per pixel and better. The map was created by images acquired in visible light using the Cassini narrow angle camera. The highest southern latitudes on Dione have not yet been seen by Cassini, resulting in the map's lower limit of approximately 80 degrees south latitude. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Cassini-Huygens mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission, visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov and the Cassini imaging team home page, http://ciclops.org . Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
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Cassini's Visit to Dione
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Cassini to Tour Moon with Streaks |
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This map of the surface of Saturn's moon Dione illustrates the regions that will be imaged by Cassini during the spacecraft's very close flyby of the moon on Oct. 11, 2005. At closest approach, the spacecraft is expected to pass approximately 500 kilometers (310 miles) above the moon's surface. Dione is 1,126 kilometers (700 miles) across. The colored lines delineate the regions that will be imaged at differing resolutions, listed in the legend at the bottom. Imaging scientists expect the Dione encounter to be one of the highlights of Cassini's mission. In terms of planning, this particular flyby is perhaps the most sophisticated yet undertaken by the Cassini imaging team. The timing of the imaging sequence has been optimized to within seconds, relative to the spacecraft's pointing during the encounter. As Cassini approaches Dione, the cameras will capture regional-scale, medium resolution mosaics, with some coverage of the moon's relatively poorly imaged leading hemisphere (the region centered on 90 degrees longitude). Planned inbound coverage also includes high-resolution images of the south pole and the well-known streaked terrain on Dione's trailing hemisphere. The previous flyby showed the markings to be an elaborate system of braided tectonic fractures. During the outbound portion of the flyby, Cassini will image a crescent Dione as the moon recedes into the distance. While staring at the moon's dark side, Cassini will take images using long exposure times, in order to see terrain that is dimly illuminated by reflected light from Saturn. Such a technique was successfully employed during the New Year's Eve 2004 encounter with Iapetus (see PIA06146 and PIA06169). This map was made from images obtained by both the Cassini and Voyager spacecraft. Cassini previously flew past Dione at a distance of approximately 72,100 kilometers (44,800 miles) on Dec. 14, 2004. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . *Credit:* NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
October 7, 2005 |
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Mimas in View
| Description |
Mimas in View |
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The Cassini spacecraft zooms in on Mimas, pitted by craters and slightly out-of-round. Cassini images taken during a flyby of Mimas in August 2005 were compiled into a movie showing the moon's battered surface up close (see Flying Over Mimas). This view shows the Saturn-facing hemisphere of Mimas (397 kilometers, or 247 miles across). North is up and rotated 24 degrees to the left. The moon's night side is dimly lit by Saturnshine, which is sunlight reflected by the planet. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on Sept. 25, 2006 at a distance of approximately 552,000 kilometers (343,000 miles) from Mimas and at a Sun-Mimas-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 106 degrees. Image scale is 3 kilometers (2 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
October 17, 2006 |
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Wisps on Dione
| Description |
Wisps on Dione |
| Full Description |
The Cassini spacecraft spies bright fractures in the icy crust of Dione. These bright "linea" cover the moon's trailing hemisphere and were imaged by Cassini at high resolution in 2005 (see At Carthage Linea ). This view looks toward the northern hemisphere on Dione's anti-Saturn side. North on Dione (1,126 kilometers, or 700 miles across) is up and rotated 33 degrees to the right. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on May 1, 2007 at a distance of approximately 1.8 million kilometers (1.1 million miles) from Dione and at a Sun-Dione-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 60 degrees. Image scale is 11 kilometers (7 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
June 12, 2007 |
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Saturn-lit Surface
| Description |
Saturn-lit Surface |
| Full Description |
This Cassini image shows the night side of Saturn's moon Dione, dimly lit by "Saturnshine": that is, reflected light from the planet lying off to the left in Cassini's field of view when this image was taken. Dione is 1,118 kilometers (695 miles) across. The image was taken in visible green light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on Feb. 18, 2005, at a distance of approximately 1.3 million kilometers (808,000 miles) from Dione and at a Sun-Dione-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 118 degrees. The image scale is 8 kilometers (5 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For additional images visit the Cassini imaging team homepage http://ciclops.org *Credit:* NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
April 13, 2005 |
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Looking Through the Rings
| Description |
A fabulous close-up of Saturn's rings |
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In this fabulous close-up, Cassini peers directly through regions of the A, B and C rings (from top to bottom here) to glimpse shadows of the very same rings cast upon the planet's atmosphere. Near the top, shadows cast by ringlets in the Cassini division (center) look almost like a photo negative. This type of image helps scientists probe the rings' structure in detail and provides information about the density of their constituent particles. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on April 26, 2005, at a distance of approximately 2.3 million kilometers (1.4 million miles) from Saturn. The image scale is 14 kilometers (9 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For additional images visit the Cassini imaging team homepage http://ciclops.org . Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
June 3, 2005 |
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Fantasy Made Real
| Description |
The majesty of Saturn overwhelms in this image from Cassini. Saturn's moon Tethys glides past in its orbit |
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The majesty of Saturn overwhelms in this image from Cassini. Saturn's moon Tethys glides past in its orbit, and the icy rings mask the frigid northern latitudes with their shadows. Tethys is 1,071 kilometers (665 miles) across. The image was taken in visible green light with the Cassini spacecraft wide-angle camera on June 10, 2005, at a distance of approximately 1.4 million kilometers (900,000 miles) from Saturn. The image scale is 80 kilometers (50 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
July 19, 2005 |
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Saturn and Tethys
| Description |
Saturn poses with Tethys |
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Saturn poses with Tethys in this Cassini view. The C ring casts thin, string-like shadows on the northern hemisphere. Above that lurks the shadow of the much denser B ring. Cloud bands in the atmosphere are subtly visible in the south. Tethys is 1,071 kilometers (665 miles) across. Cassini will perform a close flyby of Tethys on Sept. 24, 2005. The image was taken on June 10, 2005, in visible green light with the Cassini spacecraft wide-angle camera at a distance of approximately 1.4 million kilometers (900,000 miles) from Saturn. The image scale is 81 kilometers (50 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
August 9, 2005 |
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Unidentified F Ring Objects
| Description |
Here on the Gallery page you can find the very latest images, videos and products from the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn, including the spectacular launch, spacecraft assembly and the exciting trip to Saturn. |
| Full Description |
A solitary clump-like feature in Saturn's F ring orbits past in this movie sequence made from Cassini images. This feature is seen magnified at the bottom right in PIA07716. Scientists are trying to determine whether these features are solid moonlets that help control the ring or just loose clumps of particles within the ring. The images in this sequence were acquired in visible light using the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on April 13, 2005, at a distance of approximately 1.2 million kilometers (700,000 miles) from Saturn. Image scale is about 7 kilometers (4 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
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It Takes Two to Tango
| Description |
It Takes Two to Tango |
| Full Description |
The Cassini spacecraft successfully completed its only flyby of Saturn's moon Dione on Oct. 11. In the process, Cassini captured Dione eclipsing Saturn's moon Rhea. In the picture above, the distance between Dione and Rhea was roughly 330,000 kilometers (205,000 miles). Cassini will swoop by Rhea on Nov. 26. Raw images of Dione's cratered surface are now available. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . |
| Date |
October 12, 2005 |
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Is That a Moon?
| Description |
Is That a Moon? |
| Full Description |
This splendid view offers a detailed look at the faint rings within the Cassini Division as well as a rare glimpse of the Keeler gap moon, Daphnis. The small, ring embedded moon is a bright unresolved speck above center, near the outer edge of the A ring. Discovered in Cassini images in 2005, Daphnis is a mere 7 kilometers (4 miles) across. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on March 20, 2006, at a distance of approximately 483,000 kilometers (300,000 miles) from Saturn. The image scale on the sky at the distance of Daphnis is about 2 kilometers (1 mile) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
May 4, 2006 |
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Sounds of Enceladus
| Description |
Here on the Gallery page you can find the very latest images, videos and products from the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn, including the spectacular launch, spacecraft assembly and the exciting trip to Saturn. |
| Full Description |
Cassini's magnetometer instrument detected an atmosphere around Enceladus during the Feb. 17, 2005, flyby and again during a March 9, 2005, flyby. This audio file is based on the data collected from that instrument. Ion cyclotron waves are organized fluctuations in the magnetic field that provide information on what ions are present. Cassini's magnetometer detected the presence of these waves in the vicinity of Saturn's moon Enceladus. This audio file shows the power of these waves near Enceladus. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The magnetometer team is based at Imperial College in London, working with team members from the United States and Germany. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The magnetometer team homepage is http://www.imperial.ac.uk/research/spat/research/cassini/. Credit: NASA/JPL |
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Far-off Fractures
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Far-off Fractures |
| Full Description |
Wispy streaks curl over the horizon on Saturn's moon Dione, caught here in a distant view from Cassini. The streaks were first revealed by NASA's Voyager spacecraft and subsequently were shown by Cassini to be an immense system of linear fractures in the moon's surface. Dione is 1,118 kilometers (695 miles) across. The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera using a filter sensitive to wavelengths of ultraviolet light centered at 338 nanometers. The image was acquired on Feb. 18, 2005, at a distance of approximately 1.3 million kilometers (808,000 miles) from Dione and at a Sun-Dione-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 118 degrees. The image scale is 8 kilometers (5 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For additional images visit the Cassini imaging team homepage http://ciclops.org . *Credit:* NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
March 23, 2005 |
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Scanning the Rings
| Description |
An amazing close-up of Saturn's rings |
| Full Description |
This amazing close-up of Saturn's rings reveals their incredible variety. In some regions there are wavelike structures, while in other places the rings' structure appears to be more chaotic. This image shows (from top to bottom) the A ring with the Encke gap, the Cassini Division, and the B and C rings. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on April 26, 2005, at a distance of approximately 2.3 million kilometers (1.5 million miles) from Saturn. The image scale is 14 kilometers (8 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For additional images visit the Cassini imaging team homepage http://ciclops.org . Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
June 2, 2005 |
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Map of Iapetus - December 20
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| Description |
This global digital map of Saturn's moon Iapetus was created using data taken during Cassini and Voyager spacecraft flybys. |
| Full Description |
This global digital map of Saturn's moon Iapetus was created using data taken during Cassini and Voyager spacecraft flybys. The map is an equidistant projection and has a scale of 641 meters (2,103 feet) per pixel. Some territory seen in this map was imaged by Cassini using reflected light from Saturn. The mean radius of Iapetus used for projection of this map is 735 kilometers (457 miles). The resolution of the map is 20 pixels per degree. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . *Credit:* NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
December 22, 2005 |
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Mottled Rhea
| Description |
Mottled Rhea |
| Full Description |
Impact-battered Rhea exhibits a mottled appearance in this Cassini spacecraft image. On an ancient surface such as this, large impact basins are often peppered with many smaller craters. The image shows principally the trailing hemisphere of this icy moon, Saturn¿s second largest. Rhea's diameter is 1,528 kilometers (949 miles) across. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow angle camera on Dec. 9, 2004, at a distance of 2.3 million kilometers (1.4 million miles) from Rhea and at a Sun-Rhea-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 60 degrees. The image scale is about 14 kilometers (9 miles) per pixel. The image has been magnified by a factor of two and contrast enhanced to aid visibility. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For images visit the Cassini imaging team home page http://ciclops.org . *Credit*: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
January 10, 2005 |
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Saturn's Ring Patterns
| Description |
Saturn's Ring Patterns |
| Full Description |
Wave-like patterns in Saturn's rings and a nearly half-full Mimas are caught together in this image from Cassini. Mimas is 398 kilometers (247 miles) across. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow angle camera on Nov. 19, 2004, at a distance of approximately 4.8 million kilometers (3 million miles) from Saturn. The image scale is 29 kilometers (18 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission, visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov and the Cassini imaging team home page, http://ciclops.org , *Credit*: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
January 7, 2005 |
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Light and Dark Rings
| Description |
Light and Dark Rings |
| Full Description |
The sunlit face of Saturn's rings shows magnificent detail in this image taken in near infrared light. Most notable is the transition in brightness toward the outer edges of the image, due to differences in composition and ring particle density. The image was obtained from Cassini's vantage point beneath the ring plane. The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft narrow angle camera on Dec. 12, 2004, at a distance of 1.8 million kilometers (1.1 million miles) from Saturn, through a broadband filter sensitive to wavelengths of infrared light centered at 862 nanometers. The image scale is about 11 kilometers (7 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information, about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit, http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov and the Cassini imaging team home page, http://ciclops.org. *Credit*.: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
January 14, 2005 |
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Battered Icy Mimas
| Description |
Battered Icy Mimas |
| Full Description |
This Cassini image of the Saturn-facing side of icy Mimas reveals the craters and long, linear chasms that cross the moon's surface. Many of the large craters on Mimas have whimsical names from the legend of King Arthur, such as Launcelot, Merlin and Gallahad. Mimas is 398 kilometers (247 miles) across. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow angle camera on Dec. 14, 2004, at a distance of 902,000 kilometers (560,000 miles) from Mimas and at a Sun-Mimas-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 26 degrees. The image scale is 5.4 kilometers (3.4 miles) per pixel. The image has been magnified by a factor of two and contrast enhanced to aid visibility. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For images visit the Cassini imaging team home page http://ciclops.org . *Credit*: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
January 18, 2005 |
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Spotting the Storms
| Description |
Spotting the Storms |
| Full Description |
Cassini captured this revealing view, which shows that Saturn's hydrogen- and helium-rich atmosphere is a dynamic place, filled with spots, ovals and swirling vortices and filaments of gas. The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft wide angle camera on Dec. 14, 2004, at a distance of 595,000 kilometers (370,000 miles) from Saturn through a filter sensitive to wavelengths of infrared light centered at 939 nanometers. It has been highly processed to enhance details. The image scale is about 32 kilometers (20 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For images visit the Cassini imaging team home page http://ciclops.org . *Credit*: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
January 24, 2005 |
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Spotlight on Mimas
| Description |
Spotlight on Mimas |
| Full Description |
Mimas is caught in the spotlight beneath Saturn's rings in this amazing view from Cassini. Notable is the brightened outermost edge of the A ring beyond the narrow Keeler gap and the periodic brightening of the thin, knotted F ring. Mimas is 398 kilometers (247 miles) across. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow angle camera on Dec. 18, 2004, at a distance of 2 million kilometers (1.3 million miles) from Mimas and at a Sun-Mimas-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 105 degrees. The image scale is about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) per pixel. The image has been magnified by a factor of two and contrast enhanced to aid visibility. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For images visit the Cassini imaging team home page http://ciclops.org . *Credit*: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
January 27, 2005 |
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Zooming In on Enceladus
| Description |
Zooming In on Enceladus |
| Full Description |
Cassini's closest look yet at bright, icy Enceladus was captured in this view, centered on the moon's trailing hemisphere. It shows some of the linear features in the terrain of the Diyar Planitia region. Enceladus is 499 kilometers (310 miles) across. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow angle camera on Dec. 14, 2004, at a distance of 672,000 kilometers (417,600 miles) from Enceladus and at a Sun- Enceladus-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 32 degrees. The image scale is about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) per pixel. The image has been magnified by a factor of two and contrast enhanced to aid visibility. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For images visit the Cassini imaging team home page http://ciclops.org . *Credit*: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
January 19, 2005 |
|
Moon Wears a Scar
| Description |
Moon Wears a Scar |
| Full Description |
Saturn's moon Mimas shines in reflected ultraviolet light from the Sun in this Cassini image. Ultraviolet images of Saturn's moons often reveal the walls of their myriad craters in greater contrast than do images taken in visible light. This view, which shows the large impact crater Herschel, is no exception. Mimas is 397 kilometers (247 miles) across. The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera using a filter sensitive to wavelengths of ultraviolet light centered at 338 nanometers. The image was acquired on Feb. 18, 2005, at a distance of approximately 938,000 kilometers (583,000 miles) from Mimas and at a Sun-Mimas-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 99 degrees. The image scale is 6 kilometers (4 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For additional images visit the Cassini imaging team homepage http://ciclops.org . *Credit:* NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
March 31, 2005 |
|
Hanging Half-Moon
| Description |
Hanging Half-Moon |
| Full Description |
This Cassini image shows Saturn's crater-covered moon Tethys as it slid silently along in its orbit while Saturn's delicate rings sliced the view in two. Tethys is 1,071 kilometers (665 miles) across. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on Feb. 23, 2005, at a distance of approximately 2.1 million kilometers (1.3 million miles) from Tethys and at a Sun-Tethys-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 78 degrees. The image scale is 13 kilometers (8 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For additional images visit the Cassini imaging team homepage http://ciclops.org . |
| Date |
April 7, 2005 |
|
Titan's Mask
| Description |
Titan's Mask |
| Full Description |
Surface details on Titan are just visible in this Cassini view acquired through clear spectral filters, which permit wavelengths of light from the infrared through the ultraviolet portion of the spectrum to reach the camera's detector. Also of note are bands in the atmosphere over Titan¿s extreme northern latitudes. The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on Feb. 26, 2005, at a distance of approximately 2.4 million kilometers (1.5 million miles) from Titan. The image scale is 14 kilometers (9 miles) per pixel. Contrast was enhanced in the image to aid visibility. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For additional images visit the Cassini imaging team homepage http://ciclops.org . Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
April 6, 2005 |
|
Hyperion's Face
| Description |
Hyperion's Face |
| Full Description |
The rugged surface of Saturn's irregular tumbling moon Hyperion is revealed in this Cassini image. Hyperion is 266 kilometers (165 miles) across. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on Feb. 23, 2005, at a distance of approximately 1.7 million kilometers (1 million miles) from Hyperion and at a Sun-Hyperion-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 42 degrees. Resolution in the original image was 10 kilometers (6 miles) per pixel. The image has been contrast-enhanced and magnified by a factor of three to aid visibility. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For additional images visit the Cassini imaging team homepage http://ciclops.org . |
| Date |
April 8, 2005 |
|
Eye of Tethys
| Description |
Eye of Tethys |
| Full Description |
Saturn's moon Tethys turns like a great eye as the enormous crater Odysseus (450 kilometers or 280 miles across) rotates into Cassini's view. Tethys is 1,071 kilometers (665 miles) across. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on March 6, 2005, at a distance of approximately 1.7 million kilometers (1.1 million miles) from Tethys and from a Sun-Tethys-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 35 degrees. The image scale is 10 kilometers (6 miles) per pixel. The image has been magnified by a factor of two and contrast- enhanced to aid visibility. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For additional images visit the Cassini imaging team homepage http://ciclops.org *Credit:* NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
April 12, 2005 |
|
Saturn's Smile
| Description |
Saturn's Smile |
| Full Description |
The ringed planet wears a broad grin in this image from Cassini, as the icy rings cast long, sweeping shadows across the northern hemisphere. Fantastic details are visible in the bright and dark of the gas giant's many cloud bands, and the thin rings slice the scene in two. The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft wide-angle camera on Feb. 27, 2005, at a distance of approximately 2.7 million kilometers (1.7 million miles) from Saturn through a filter sensitive to wavelengths of infrared light centered at 727 nanometers, where gaseous methane absorbs. The image scale is 156 kilometers (97 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For additional images visit the Cassini imaging team homepage http://ciclops.org |
| Date |
April 11, 2005 |
|
Brush with Epimetheus
| Description |
Saturn's moon Epimetheus |
| Full Description |
Cassini continues to survey the small worlds that orbit near Saturn's rings, capturing this view of Epimetheus. The moon's lumpy, irregular topography can be seen here, along with several impact craters. Epimetheus is 116 kilometers (72 miles) across. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on May 20, 2005, at a distance of approximately 345,000 kilometers (214,000 miles) from Epimetheus and at a Sun-Epimetheus-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 26 degrees. Resolution in the original image was 2 kilometers (1 mile) per pixel. The view was magnified by a factor of two and contrast-enhanced to aid visibility of the moon's surface. A closer view of Epimetheus, taken from a different viewing angle is also available (see Epimetheus: Up-Close and Colorful). The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
June 29, 2005 |
|
Helene from Afar
| Description |
Helene from Afar |
| Full Description |
Saturn's moons Helene and tiny Polydeuces (not seen here) are Trojan moons of Dione, orbiting about 60 degrees ahead of and behind, the much larger moon. Trojan moons are found near gravitationally stable points ahead or behind a larger moon. Polydeuces (or S/2004 S5) was discovered by the Cassini imaging team. Helene is 32 kilometers (20 miles) across, while Dione is 1,118 kilometers (695 miles) across. Tethys also has two of its own Trojan moons. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on May 20, 2005, at a distance of approximately 760,000 kilometers (472,000 miles) from Helene. The image scale is 5 kilometers (3 miles) per pixel. This view of Helene has been magnified by a factor of three and sharpened to aid visibility. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
July 20, 2005 |
|
Bright Bands
| Description |
Saturn's bright equatorial band is the most prominent feature on the planet in this view |
| Full Description |
Cassini's keen vision, with its variety of spectral filters, allows for revealing views of the eastward- and westward-flowing cloud bands that encircle the ringed giant, Saturn. This image was acquired using a spectral filter sensitive to infrared wavelengths where methane in the atmosphere is moderately absorbing. Saturn's bright equatorial band is the most prominent feature on the planet in this view. The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft wide-angle camera on June 15, 2005, at a distance of approximately 2.3 million kilometers (1.4 million miles) from Saturn and at a Sun-Saturn-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 74 degrees. The image scale is 136 kilometers (84 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
July 26, 2005 |
|
Lumpy Prometheus
| Description |
Lumpy Prometheus |
| Full Description |
Saturn's shepherd moon Prometheus reveals its elongated, irregular form to Cassini in this image. The moon's long axis points toward Saturn. Prometheus is 102 kilometers (63 miles) across. This view shows the southern part of the moon's anti-Saturn side (the face that always points away from Saturn). The image was taken in visible red light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on June 7, 2005, at a distance of approximately 438,000 kilometers (272,000 miles) from Prometheus. Resolution in the original image was 3 kilometers (2 miles) per pixel. The image has been contrast-enhanced and magnified by a factor of two to aid visibility. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
July 25, 2005 |
|
Up Close to Mimas
| Description |
Up Close to Mimas |
| Full Description |
During its approach to Mimas on Aug. 2, 2005, the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera obtained multi-spectral views of the moon from a range of 228,000 kilometers (142,500 miles). This image is a narrow angle clear-filter image which was processed to enhance the contrast in brightness and sharpness of visible features. Herschel crater, a 140-kilometer-wide (88-mile) impact feature with a prominent central peak, is visible in the upper right of this image. This image was obtained when the Cassini spacecraft was above 25 degrees south, 134 degrees west latitude and longitude. The Sun-Mimas-spacecraft angle was 45 degrees and north is at the top. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
August 5, 2005 |
|
Atmospheric Illusion
| Description |
this extreme close-up of Saturn's swirling clouds |
| Full Description |
Believe it or not, this extreme close-up of Saturn's swirling clouds was acquired from more than one million kilometers (621,370 miles) from the gas giant planet. The rings' image is severely bent by atmospheric refraction as they pass behind the planet. The dark region in the rings is the 4,800-kilometer-wide (2,980 mile) Cassini Division. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on June 25, 2005, at a distance of approximately 1 million kilometers (600,000 miles) from Saturn. The image scale is 6 kilometers (4 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
August 2, 2005 |
|
| Description |
Flowing |
| Full Description |
During its time in orbit, Cassini has spotted many beautiful cat's eye-shaped patterns like the ones visible here. These patterns occur in places where the winds and the atmospheric density at one latitude are different from those at another latitude. The opposing east-west flowing cloud bands are the dominant patterns seen here and elsewhere in Saturn's atmosphere. Contrast in the image was enhanced to aid the visibility of atmospheric features. The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft wide-angle camera on Aug. 20, 2005, at a distance of approximately 420,000 kilometers (261,000 miles) from Saturn using a filter sensitive to wavelengths of infrared light centered at 728 nanometers. The image scale is 22 kilometers (13 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . *Credit:* NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
October 4, 2005 |
|
Hyperion: Parting Glance
| Description |
Hyperion: Parting Glance |
| Full Description |
As Cassini sped away from its close encounter with Saturn's moon Hyperion on Sept. 26, 2005, it took this parting shot of the battered moon's shadowy limb. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera at a distance of approximately 32,300 kilometers (20,000 miles) from Hyperion and at a Sun-Hyperion-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 127 degrees. Image scale is 192 meters (630 feet) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . *Credit:* NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
September 29, 2005 |
|
Rings Around the Pole
| Description |
Rings Around the Pole |
| Full Description |
Atmospheric features in Saturn's north polar region are revealed in spectacular detail in this Cassini image, taken in the near infrared spectral region, where methane gas is not very absorbing. The dark shadows of Saturn's rings drape across the planet, creating the illusion of atmospheric bands. Dots of bright clouds give the appearance that this is an active place. The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft wide angle camera on Dec. 14, 2004, at a distance of 717,800 kilometers (446,100 miles) from Saturn through a filter sensitive to wavelengths of infrared light centered at 939 nanometers. The image scale is about 43 kilometers (27 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For images visit the Cassini imaging team home page http://ciclops.org . *Credit*: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
January 20, 2005 |
|
Framing the C Ring
| Description |
Framing the C Ring |
| Full Description |
The Cassini spacecraft looks close at Saturn to frame a view encompassing the entire C ring. In the dark region closer to the planet lies the much dimmer D ring. The bright B ring wraps around the left side of the scene, while Saturn's shadow darkens the rings at bottom. For reference, Saturn's ring sequence from its surface outwards is D, C, B, A, F, G then E. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft wide-angle camera on Sept. 4, 2005, at a distance of approximately 627,000 kilometers (390,000 miles) from Saturn. The image scale is 34 kilometers (21 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . *Credit:* NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
October 21, 2005 |
|
Pensive Saturn
| Description |
Pensive Saturn |
| Full Description |
This brooding portrait shows the southwest limb (edge) of the cold gas giant and the thread-like cloud features lurking there. The limb appears smooth, but at the terminator (the boundary between light and dark) and at higher resolution, variations in cloud height can cause shadows that are visible to Cassini (see Such Great Heights). The image was taken in visible, red light with the Cassini spacecraft wide-angle camera on Oct. 30, 2005, at a distance of approximately 401,000 kilometers (249,000 miles) from Saturn and at a Sun-Saturn-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 155 degrees. Image scale is 20 kilometers (13 miles) per pixel. The image was contrast enhanced to improve visibility of features in the atmosphere. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . *Credit:* NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
December 6, 2005 |
|
Pandora Occults the F Ring
| Description |
Pandora Occults the F Ring |
| Full Description |
Saturn's moon Pandora glides in front of the narrow F ring, making the moon's oblong outline visible. The image also shows the A ring, Cassini Division, B ring, and part of the C ring. This view is from beneath the ring plane. Pandora is 84 kilometers (52 miles) across. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on Aug. 23, 2005, at a distance of approximately 1.6 million kilometers (1 million miles) from Pandora and at a Sun-Pandora-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 97 degrees. Resolution in the original image was 9 kilometers (6 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . *Credit:* NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
October 10, 2005 |
|
Titan's Shifting Hazes
| Description |
Titan's Shifting Hazes |
| Full Description |
This fascinating movie from Cassini shows the changing shapes of features in the outer haze layers of Titan's atmosphere. The original movie was created from 36 images taken over the course of three hours as Cassini receded from Titan, following its flyby on March 31, 2005. These observations were made about four and a half to eight hours after Cassini's closest approach. Additional frames were inserted between the 36 Cassini images in order to smooth the movement of the atmosphere - a scheme called interpolation - for a total of 71 frames in the released movie. The most obvious changes in this movie occur in the bright layers in the middle of the arc, near the one o'clock position, where hazy filaments appear to flow and merge. Near the 12 o'clock position there is wave motion from right to left. The changing features represent a great deal of dynamic activity high in this cold, hazy atmosphere. They resemble the activity observed during Cassini's first Titan encounter. The images for this movie were taken by the Cassini wide-angle camera on April 1, 2005, using a filter sensitive to visible violet light and were acquired at distances ranging from approximately 99,000 to 155,000 kilometers (62,000 to 96,000 miles) from Titan. Resolution in the images changes from 6 to 9 kilometers (4 to 6 miles) per pixel during the movie. The frames have been scaled so that Titan does not appear to shrink in size as Cassini moves away. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For additional images visit the Cassini imaging team homepage http://ciclops.org . Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
April 8, 2005 |
|
Waves and Small Particles in
…
| Description |
Waves and Small Particles in Ring A |
| Full Description |
Specially designed Cassini orbits place Earth and Cassini on opposite sides of Saturn's rings, a geometry known as occultation. Cassini conducted the first radio occultation observation of Saturn's rings on May 3, 2005. Three simultaneous radio signals at wavelengths of 0.94, 3.6, and 13 centimeters (Ka-, X-, and S-bands) were sent from Cassini through the rings to Earth. The observed change of each signal as Cassini moved behind the rings provided a profile of the distribution of ring material and an optical depth profile. This simulated image was constructed from the measured optical depth profiles of the Cassini Division and ring A. It depicts the observed structure at about 10 kilometers (6 miles) in resolution. The image shows the same ring A region depicted in a similar image (Multiple Eyes of Cassini), using a different color scheme to enhance the view of a remarkable array of over 40 wavy features called "density waves" uncovered in the May 3 radio occultation throughout ring A. Color is used to represent information about ring particle sizes based on the measured effects of the three radio signals. Shades of red indicate regions where there is a lack of particles less than 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) in diameter. Green and blue shades indicate regions where there are particles of sizes smaller than 5 centimeters (2 inches) and 1 centimeter (less than one third of an inch), respectively. Note the gradual increase in shades of green towards the outer edge of ring A. It indicates gradual increase in the abundance of 5-centimeter (2-inch) and smaller particles. Note also the blue shades in the vicinity of the Keeler gap (the narrow dark band near the edge of ring A). They indicate increased abundance of even smaller particles of diameter less than a centimeter. Frequent collisions between large ring particles in this dynamically active region likely fragment the larger particles into more numerous smaller ones. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter was designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The radio science team is based at JPL. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov. For more information on the radio science team visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/spacecraft/instruments-cassini-rss.cfm. Image Credit: NASA/JPL |
| Date |
May 23, 2005 |
|
January's Moon
| Description |
January's Moon |
| Full Description |
The month of January is named for the mythical Roman god Janus, who guarded the gate of heaven. Cassini spied the heavily cratered, irregularly shaped moon of Saturn as it glided along in its orbit, about 11,000 kilometers (6,800 miles) beyond the bright core of the narrow F ring. Only vague hints of the moon's surface morphology are visible from this distance. Janus is 181 kilometers (113 miles) across. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow angle camera on Jan. 22, 2005, at a distance of approximately 2.5 million kilometers (1.6 million miles) from Saturn. The image scale is 15 kilometers (9 miles) per pixel. The image has been contrast-enhanced and magnified by a factor of two to aid visibility. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For images visit the Cassini imaging team home page http://ciclops.org . *Credit:* NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
February 3, 2005 |
|
Close Titan Flyby 3, Image #
…
| Description |
Close Titan Flyby 3, Image #1 |
| Full Description |
This image was taken during Cassini's third close approach to Titan on Feb. 15, 2005. The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft narrow angle camera, through a filter sensitive to wavelengths of infrared light, centered at 938 nanometers. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For additional images visit the Cassini imaging team homepage http://ciclops.org . *Credit:* NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
February 15, 2005 |
|
Dionean Linea
| Description |
Dionean Linea |
| Full Description |
Bright icy fractures, or linea, cover the trailing hemisphere of Saturn's moon, Dione. The Cassini spacecraft imaged the fractured terrain at high resolution in October 2005 (See At Carthage Linea). Lit terrain seen here is on the trailing hemisphere of Dione (1,126 kilometers, or 700 miles across). North is up. The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera using a spectral filter sensitive to wavelengths of infrared light centered at 930 nanometers. The image was taken on Feb. 3, 2007 at a distance of approximately 927,000 kilometers (576,000 miles) from Dione. Image scale is 6 kilometers (3 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . The Cassini imaging team homepage is at http://ciclops.org . Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
March 13, 2007 |
|
Storm Factory?
| Description |
Storm Factory? |
| Full Description |
Views like this one from Cassini are helping scientists unravel some of the mysteries of Saturn's complex atmosphere. The turbulent, wavy pattern at the bottom of the image has the appearance of a region that may be spawning vortices, or swirling storms, in the planet's atmosphere. The bright chaotic region at the top appears to have strong vertical winds. To understand the nature of activity taking place in a region on Saturn, imaging scientists often compare views of the same region taken at different times. This image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft narrow angle camera on Jan. 23, 2005, at a distance of approximately 2.8 million kilometers (1.7 million miles) from Saturn through a filter sensitive to wavelengths of infrared light centered at 727 nanometers. The image scale is 16 kilometers (10 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For additional images visit the Cassini imaging team homepage http://ciclops.org . *Credit:* NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
February 25, 2005 |
|
Where Clouds Meet
| Description |
Where Clouds Meet |
| Full Description |
This Cassini image shows an assortment of vortices and wavy interfaces where air masses moving at different speeds intersect. Bright, narrow and linear cloud features of the north appear to be moving over darker clouds below. The linear pattern suggests very stable atmospheric flow conditions at these altitudes. The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on Feb. 5, 2005, at a distance of approximately 3.4 million kilometers (2.1 million miles) from Saturn through a filter sensitive to wavelengths of infrared light centered at 727 nanometers. The image scale is 20 kilometers (12 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For additional images visit the Cassini imaging team homepage http://ciclops.org . *Credit:* NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
March 9, 2005 |
|
Fluid Flow
| Description |
Fluid Flow |
| Full Description |
A great dark storm stares out from Saturn in this Cassini image, showing how beautiful and intricate the planet's atmosphere can be. Turbulent areas represent the boundaries between air masses moving at different velocities. The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on Feb. 6, 2005, at a distance of approximately 3.3 million kilometers (2.1 million miles) from Saturn through a filter sensitive to wavelengths of infrared light centered at 889 nanometers. The image scale is 39 kilometers (24 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For additional images visit the Cassini imaging team homepage http://ciclops.org . *Credit:* NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
March 10, 2005 |
|
Splendid Saturn
| Description |
Splendid Saturn |
| Full Description |
Cassini offers this lovely, crisp view of Saturn, which shows detail in the planet's banded atmosphere, as well as the delicate ring system. The image has been rotated so that north on Saturn is up, the Sun illuminates Saturn from below. Saturn's tilt throws ghostly shadows of the rings onto the northern hemisphere during the current season. The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft wide angle camera on Jan. 23, 2005, at a distance of approximately 2.8 million kilometers (1.7 million miles) from Saturn through a filter sensitive to wavelengths of infrared light centered at 728 nanometers. The image scale is 166 kilometers (103 miles) per pixel. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov . For additional images visit the Cassini imaging team homepage http://ciclops.org . *Credit:* NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute |
| Date |
February 28, 2005 |
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