Saturday, July 15, 2006

Two more from Cassini

Cassini delivers again!

I know, I'm obsessed. But honestly ... the pictures are too good not to share.

In this one, the JPL page says,
The unlit side of the rings glows with scattered sunlight as two moons circle giant Saturn. The light reaching Cassini in this view has traveled many paths before being captured.

At left, Mimas (397 kilometers, or 247 miles across) presents its dark side. Enceladus (505 kilometers, or 314 miles across), on the far side of the rings, is lit by "Saturnshine," or reflected sunlight coming from the planet. Saturn, in turn, is faintly lit in the south by light reflecting off the rings.

Saturn's shadow darkens the rings, tapering off toward the left side of this view.

Mimas and Enceladus and the rings Saturn nightside
And in this,
Saturn's two largest moons meet in the sky in a rare embrace. Smog-enshrouded Titan (5,150 kilometers, or 3,200 miles across) glows to the left of airless Rhea (1,528 kilometers, or 949 miles across).


Titan and Rhea
I've said it before, and this probably won't be the last time either: What a time to be alive.

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