1 of 49
Three Moons of Saturn
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
The Cassini spacecraft observes three of Saturn's moons set against the darkened night side of the planet. Saturn is present on the left this image but is too dark to see. Rhea (1,528 kilometers, or 949 miles across) is closest to Cassini here and appears largest at the center of the image. Enceladus (504 kilometers, or 313 miles across) is to the right of Rhea. Dione (1,123 kilometers, or 698 miles across) is to the left of Rhea, partly obscured by Saturn. Image taken April 25, 2011. Released on March 26, 2013. [
Full Story]
2 of 49
Prometheus' Effects on Saturn's Rings
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
The effects of the small moon Prometheus loom large on two of Saturn's rings in this image taken a short time before Saturn's August 2009 equinox. A long, thin shadow cast by the moon stretches across the A ring on the right. The gravity of potato-shaped Prometheus (86 kilometers, or 53 miles across) periodically creates streamer-channels in the F ring, and the moon's handiwork can seen be on the left of the image. Image released Jan. 28, 2010 Released on March 26, 2013. [
Full Story]
3 of 49
Global View of Iapetus' Dichotomy
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
These two global images of Iapetus show the extreme brightness dichotomy on the surface of this peculiar Saturnian moon. The left-hand panel shows the moon's leading hemisphere and the right-hand panel shows the moon's trailing side. Image published Dec. 10, 2009. Released on March 26, 2013. [
Full Story]
4 of 49
Mimas, Janus and Saturn
Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Space Science Institute
This photo, taken in August by the Cassini orbiter, shows Saturn, Janus and Mimas as well as the planet's distinctive rings.
5 of 49
Saturn's Turbulent Surface
Credit: NASA / JPL / Space Science Institute
This image, captured by the Cassini orbiter on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) and beamed to Earth on Dec. 26., shows details of Saturn's turbulent surface.
6 of 49
Mimas Dwarfed by Saturn
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
Saturn's moon Mimas appears near Saturn, dwarfed by its parent planet in this image. Mimas (246 miles, or 396 kilometers across) appears tiny compared to the storms clearly visible in far northern and southern hemispheres of Saturn. The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft wide-angle camera on Aug. 20, 2012.
7 of 49
Titan, Saturn and Its Rings
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
This six-image mosaic from NASA's Cassini spacecraft captures Saturn, its rings and the planet's giant moon Titan. The probe snapped the shots on May 6, 2012, when it was about 483,000 miles from Titan. Image scale is 29 miles per pixel on Titan.
8 of 49
Titan's South Polar Vortex
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
The south polar vortex of Saturn's moon Titan stands out in this natural-color view from NASA's Cassini spacecraft, snapped on July 25, 2012.
9 of 49
A Ring of Color Around Titan
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
NASA's Cassini spacecraft looks toward the night side of Saturn's moon Titan and sees sunlight scattering its atmosphere, forming a colorful ring. The images were acquired on June 6, 2012, when Cassini was about 134,000 miles from Titan. Image scale is 8 miles per pixel.
10 of 49
Scientists to Scan Titan's Atmosphere From Earth
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Intstitute.
The haze of Titan's atmosphere stands out in this image taken by the Cassini spacecraft currently orbiting Saturn.
11 of 49
Cassini Photo of Saturn Moon Methone
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI
This raw, unprocessed image of the Saturn moon Methone was taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft on May 20, 2012.
12 of 49
Cassini Photo of Saturn Moon Tethys
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
This raw, unprocessed image was taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft on May 20, 2012. The camera was pointing toward the Saturn moon Tethys at approximately 81,580 miles (131,290 kilometers) away.
13 of 49
Raw, Unprocessed Image of Enceladus
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
This raw, unprocessed image was taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft on May 2, 2012. The camera was pointing toward Enceladus at approximately 239,799 miles (385,919 kilometers) away.
14 of 49
Crescent Enceladus
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
This raw, unprocessed image was taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft on May 1, 2012. The camera was pointing toward Enceladus at approximately 260,443 miles (419,142 kilometers) away.
15 of 49
Dione Up Close
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
This raw, unprocessed image was taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft on May 2, 2012. The camera was pointing toward Dione at approximately 14,835 miles (23,875 kilometers) away.
16 of 49
Uncalibrated Dione Image
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
The camera was pointing toward Dione at approximately 8,416 kilometers away, and the image was taken using the CL1 and CL2 filters. This image has not been validated or calibrated. A validated/calibrated image will be archived with the NASA Planetary Data System in 2013. The image was taken on May 02, 2012 and received on Earth May 03, 2012.
17 of 49
Bright Bits on Dione
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
This raw, unprocessed image was taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft on May 2, 2012. The camera was pointing toward Dione at approximately 9,434 miles (15,183 kilometers) away.
18 of 49
Snowball Fight in Saturn's Rings
Credit: NASA/JPL
From the inside out, the "Cassini division" in faint red at left is followed by the A ring in its entirety in this ultraviolet-light image. The A ring begins with a "dirty" interior of red followed by more blue as it spreads away from the planet. The blue is a signature of water ice. The red band roughly three-fourths of the way outward in the A ring is known as the Encke gap.
19 of 49
Cassini Probe Spies Spokes in Saturn's Rings
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute.
After months of searching, the Cassini orbiter circling Saturn has finally photographed the spokes in the planet's rings.
20 of 49
New Pictures of Saturn’s Battered Moons
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
With this fabulous, full-disk mosaic, Cassini presents the best view yet of the south pole of Tethys.
21 of 49
New Moonlet Found Circling Saturn
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
This sequence of three images, obtained by NASA's Cassini spacecraft over the course of about 10 minutes, shows the path of a newly found moonlet in a bright arc of Saturn's faint G ring.
22 of 49
Long-Lived Lightning Storm Rages on Saturn
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute.
These two side-by-side views show the longest-lived electrical storm yet observed on Saturn by NASA's Cassini spacecraft. On the left is a view of the storm as it would look to the human eye, while an enhanced version to bring out the storm is at right.
23 of 49
Saturn's Rings Created by Collision
Credit: NASA/JPL SSI
A collection of Cassini images providing context for the location and size of the propeller-shaped gaps found in Saturn's A-ring.
24 of 49
Cassini Snaps Closest Images Ever of Saturn's Moon Titan
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
A new picture of Titan by the Cassini spacecraft reveals a bright region in the middle named Xanadu. Scientists don't know what it is.
25 of 49
Cassini Probe Spies Lake-Like Feature on Titan
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute.
This view of Titan's south polar region reveals an intriguing dark feature that may be the site of a past or present lake of liquid hydrocarbons.
26 of 49
Mammoth Cloud Engulfs Titan's North Pole
Credit: NASA, JPL
This composite image shows the cloud, imaged at a distance of 90,000 kilometers (54,000 miles) during a Titan flyby designed to observe the limb of the moon. The cloud extends down to 60 degrees north latitude.
27 of 49
Titan Obscured by Saturn's rings
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
Saturn's rings obscure part of Titan in this image from NASA's Cassini spacecraft, taken on May 16, 2012, at a distance of about 1.9 million miles from Titan. Image scale is 11 miles per pixel on Titan.
28 of 49
Bizarre Hexagon Spotted on Saturn
Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
A bizarre six-sided feature encircling the north pole of Saturn near 78 degrees north latitude has been spied by the visual and infrared mapping spectrometer on NASA's Cassini spacecraft.
29 of 49
Geysers Gush from Cracks in Saturn's Moon
Credit: Cassini Imaging Team and NASA/JPL/SSI
False color Cassini image illustrating the jets of fine icy particles erupting from the south polar region of Enceladus. Please
30 of 49
Saturnian Moon Gets Glamour Shots
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
A new view of the Saturn moon Iapetus, as seen by the Cassini spacecraft. Here, an odd walnut-like mountain range is shown along the moon's equator.
31 of 49
Spacecraft Flies Through Saturn Moon's Plumes
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
This three-image mosaic is the highest resolution view yet obtained of Enceladus' north polar region. The view looks southward over cratered plains from high above the north pole of Enceladus. NASA's Cassini probe caught this view during a March 12, 2008 flyby.
32 of 49
Saturn Storm Has Hurricane-Like Features
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
Cassini stares deep into the swirling hurricane-like vortex at Saturn's south pole, where the vertical structure of the clouds is highlighted by shadows. Such a storm, with a well-developed eye ringed by towering clouds, is a phenomenon never before seen on another planet.
33 of 49
Veil Lifts on Titan's Great Secrets
Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona.
A composite of several Cassini images shows Titan's varied surface, including possibly a remnant of an old impact basin (large circular feature near the center of Titan's disk). Mountain ranges to the southeast of the circular feature, and the dark linear feature to the northwest of the circular impact scar may be evidence of past tectonic activity.
34 of 49
Dark Side Ring of Light
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
The Cassini spacecraft looks toward the dark side of Saturn's largest moon as a circle of light is produced by sunlight scattering through the periphery of Titan's atmosphere.
35 of 49
Enceladus Plume
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
This raw image from NASA's Cassini spacecraft was taken on March 27, 2012. The camera was pointing toward Saturn's moon Enceladus at approximately 144,281 miles (232,197 kilometers) away.
36 of 49
Enceladus Crescent
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
This raw image from NASA's Cassini spacecraft was taken on March 27, 2012. The camera was pointing toward Saturn's moon Enceladus at approximately 69,475 miles (111,809 kilometers) away.
37 of 49
Enceladus Terrain
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
This raw image from NASA's Cassini spacecraft was taken on March 27, 2012. The camera was pointing toward Saturn's moon Enceladus at approximately 19,810 miles (31,881 kilometers) away.
38 of 49
Portrait of Janus
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
This raw image from NASA's Cassini spacecraft was taken on March 27, 2012. The camera was pointing toward Saturn's moon Enceladus at approximately 19,810 miles (31,881 kilometers) away.
39 of 49
Icy Dione
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
This raw image from NASA's Cassini spacecraft was taken on March 28, 2012. The camera was pointing toward Saturn's moon Dione at approximately 49,087 miles (78,998 kilometers) away.
40 of 49
Dione Close-Up
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
This raw image from NASA's Cassini spacecraft was taken on March 28, 2012. The camera was pointing toward Saturn's moon Dione at approximately 27,668 miles (44,528 kilometers) away.
41 of 49
Saturn's Rings, Titan and Enceladus
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus hangs below the gas giant’s rings while Titan lurks in the background, in this new image taken by the Cassini spacecraft on March 12, 2012.
42 of 49
Saturn Ring Clumps and Strands
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
Clumpy particles in Saturn’s B-ring provide stark contrast to the delicately ordered ringlets seen in the rest of this view presented by the Cassini spacecraft. Image taken July 10, 2009.
43 of 49
Cassini Probe Sees Earth from Saturn: Annotated
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
This rare image taken on July 19, 2013, by NASA's Cassini spacecraft has shows Saturn's rings and our planet Earth and its moon in the same frame. At the time, Cassini was 2013 from a distance of about 898.414 million miles (1.445858 billion kilometers) from Earth. It is only one footprint in a mosaic of 33 footprints covering the entire Saturn ring system (including Saturn itself) taken by Cassini's wide-angle camera. [See
full story.]
44 of 49
Earth and Moon: Views from Saturn & Mercury
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute and NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
These images show views of Earth and the moon from NASA's Cassini probe around Saturn (left) and Messenger spacecraft at Mercury (right) from July 19, 2013. Cassini was 898 million miles (1.44 billion kilometers) away from Earth at the time, while Messenger was 61 million miles (98 million km) away. [See
full story.]
45 of 49
Two Views of Home
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute and NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
These images show views of Earth and the moon from NASA's Cassini (left) and MESSENGER spacecraft (right) from July 19, 2013. [See
full story.]
46 of 49
One Special Day in the Life of Planet Earth – Close-Up
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
The cameras on NASA's Cassini spacecraft captured this rare look at Earth and its moon from Saturn orbit on July 19, 2013. The image has been magnified five times. Taken while performing a large wide-angle mosaic of the entire Saturn ring system, narrow-angle camera images were deliberately inserted into the sequence in order to image Earth and its moon. [See
full story.]
47 of 49
Cassini Raw Image of Earth and Moon
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
This image was taken on July 19, 2013 and received on Earth July 20, 2013. The camera was pointing toward EARTH at approximately 898,410,414 miles (1,445,851,410 kilometers) away, and the image was taken using the BL1 and CL2 filters. This image has not been validated or calibrated. [See
full story.]
48 of 49
Saturn's Rings With Earth and Moon
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
In this rare image taken on July 19, 2013, Cassini's wide angle camera has captured Saturn's rings and our planet Earth and its moon in the same frame. [See
full story.]
49 of 49
Earth and Moon Seen by MESSENGER Spacecraft
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
The pair of bright star-like features in the upper panel are not stars at all, but the Earth and Moon. MESSENGER was at a distance of 98 million kilometers (61 million miles) from Earth when this picture was taken. The computer-generated image in the lower left shows how the Earth appeared from Mercury at the time. Much of the Americas, all of Europe and Africa, the Middle East, and much of Asia were visible. Data acquired July 19, 2013. [See
full story.]
