Saturn Hexagonal Jet Stream Cassini Spacecraft View
Saturn's odd hexagonal jet stream swirls in this amazing photo taken by the Cassini spacecraft. Image released Feb. 3, 2014.
Saturn's 'Yin' and 'Yang' Moon Iapetus
The Cassini spacecraft snapped this image of Saturn's "yin and yang" moon Iapetus on Aug. 30, 2013. Image uploaded Jan. 16, 2014. [Read the Full Story Behind This Photo Here.]
Enceladus: A Tectonic Feast
NASA's Cassini spacecraft has been studying Saturn and its moons since it entered orbit in 2004. This image, taken on Oct. 5, 2008, is a stunning mosaic of the geologically active Enceladus after a Cassini flyby.
Icy Rhea
The Cassini spacecraft looks toward the Rhea's cratered, icy landscape with the dark line of Saturn's ringplane and the planet's murky atmosphere as a background. Rhea is Saturn's second-largest moon, at 1,528 kilometers (949 miles) across. This image was taken on Oct. 20, 2008.
Moons on the Move
Titan emerges from behind Saturn while Tethys streaks into view in this colorful scene on March 24, 2008. Titan is 5,150 kilometers (3,200 miles) wide; Tethys is 1,071 kilometers (665 miles) wide. Saturn's shadow darkens the far arm of the rings near the planet's limb.
Saturnian Polar Aurora
This Nov. 12, 2008 image of the northern polar region of Saturn shows both the aurora and underlying atmosphere, seen at two different wavelengths of infrared light by Cassini. The image shows both a bright ring, as seen from Earth, as well as an example of bright auroral emission within the polar cap that had been undetected until the advent of Cassini.
Saturn … Four Years On
As Saturn advances in its orbit toward equinox and the sun gradually moves northward on the planet, the motion of Saturn's ring shadows and the changing colors of its atmosphere continue to transform the face of Saturn as seen by Cassini. This image is a mosaic of 30 photos and was taken on Dec. 30, 2008.
Flowing Liquids on Titan
Abundant evidence for flowing liquids is seen in this view of Saturn’s moon Titan, from sinuous, wide river channels to shorter, more chaotic drainage patterns. This radar view of Titan's south pole was taken on Dec. 20, 2007.
Feeling the Tug of Gravity
The brilliant moon Prometheus pulls at the nearby inner strand of Saturn's F ring in this Aug. 27, 2008 view. Gravitational tugs from Prometheus are constantly reshaping this narrow ring. Prometheus is about 53 miles (86 km) across at its widest point.
Skeet Shoot at Enceladus
This image is the fourth skeet-shoot footprint taken during Cassini's very close flyby of Enceladus on Aug. 11, 2008. Cairo Sulcus is shown crossing the upper left portion of the image. An unnamed fracture curves around the lower right corner.
Titan Approaches Saturn
Swathed in its thick blanket of atmosphere, frigid Titan approaches the brilliant limb of Saturn on March 14, 2008.
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.
