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Saturn's Graceful Ripples
The fine structure of Saturn's rings is shaped by the planet's many inner moons. When viewed in ultraviolet the spectacular rings resemble the ridges on a long-playing record.
The fine structure of Saturn's rings is shaped by the planet's many inner moons. When viewed in ultraviolet the spectacular rings resemble the ridges on a long-playing record.
Saturn: Through a Glass Brightly
The natural beauty of Saturn's rings shine through when Cassini looks on the nearly-translucent, icy debris in color.
The natural beauty of Saturn's rings shine through when Cassini looks on the nearly-translucent, icy debris in color.
Shepherding the Lightweight World
More spectacular Saturn images from Cassini have arrived, but a two-dimensional view of this ringed world cannot capture its strange composition as the only planet less dense than water.
More spectacular Saturn images from Cassini have arrived, but a two-dimensional view of this ringed world cannot capture its strange composition as the only planet less dense than water.
Ringscape in Natural Colors
The Saturnian ring system is visible in natural colors using an amateur telescope, but to see it up close as one would riding on the Cassini spacecraft reveals a world of icy-white and what one can only refer to 'earthtones'.
The Saturnian ring system is visible in natural colors using an amateur telescope, but to see it up close as one would riding on the Cassini spacecraft reveals a world of icy-white and what one can only refer to 'earthtones'.
Saturn's Rings in Ultraviolet
Short-wavelength images of Saturn's rings are sensitive to ice content and show that the outer rings are higher in water-ice than inner ones. According to Colorado researchers, these spectra give clues to the ring's origins. The Cassini images in UV are ten times better than the previous best ring snapshots.
Short-wavelength images of Saturn's rings are sensitive to ice content and show that the outer rings are higher in water-ice than inner ones. According to Colorado researchers, these spectra give clues to the ring's origins. The Cassini images in UV are ten times better than the previous best ring snapshots.
Oxygen in Saturn's E Ring
While en route to Saturn, Cassini detected a sudden, massive buildup of oxygen in the planet's E ring. Where did all that oxygen come from? No-one knows for sure. But now that Cassini's gotten a little closer to the ringed world, scientists are hopeful that they'll be able to find an answer.
While en route to Saturn, Cassini detected a sudden, massive buildup of oxygen in the planet's E ring. Where did all that oxygen come from? No-one knows for sure. But now that Cassini's gotten a little closer to the ringed world, scientists are hopeful that they'll be able to find an answer.
Wedding to a Ring
The Cassini probe has buzzed by Venus (twice), the Earth and asteroids, but today's mission is not to flyby Saturn. After seven years, the most tense period of the plan since launch will unfold in a short 96 minutes.
The Cassini probe has buzzed by Venus (twice), the Earth and asteroids, but today's mission is not to flyby Saturn. After seven years, the most tense period of the plan since launch will unfold in a short 96 minutes.
Slipping through the Rings
Closing in on Saturn this month, the Cassini spacecraft's camera continues to provide spectacular images of the ringed planet. In less than three weeks, the probe will cross between F and G ring systems while the orbiter slows down into its entry trajectory. On Christmas Eve, the companion Huygens probe will plunge towards Titan, Saturn's largest moon, and try to land at about five meters per second in either an oily ocean or the frozen surface.
Closing in on Saturn this month, the Cassini spacecraft's camera continues to provide spectacular images of the ringed planet. In less than three weeks, the probe will cross between F and G ring systems while the orbiter slows down into its entry trajectory. On Christmas Eve, the companion Huygens probe will plunge towards Titan, Saturn's largest moon, and try to land at about five meters per second in either an oily ocean or the frozen surface.
Stormy Bands on Ringed World
A classic compare and contrast image pair reveals Saturn's beauty as snapped by the Hubble Space Telescope and the Cassini probe on close approach.
A classic compare and contrast image pair reveals Saturn's beauty as snapped by the Hubble Space Telescope and the Cassini probe on close approach.
Ring Recycling
One of the most beautiful and until recently least understood parts of our solar system was planetary rings. But since the Voyager spacecraft first discovered that tiny moons could shape or shepherd the rings on Saturn, a notion of the rings as rocky rubble has evolved until today, numerical simulations point to a steady state: rings beget rubble, and rubble begets rings.
One of the most beautiful and until recently least understood parts of our solar system was planetary rings. But since the Voyager spacecraft first discovered that tiny moons could shape or shepherd the rings on Saturn, a notion of the rings as rocky rubble has evolved until today, numerical simulations point to a steady state: rings beget rubble, and rubble begets rings.