This mosaic of nine images recently acquired during Cassini's first very close flyby of Saturn's moon Titan is the most detailed full-disc view of the mysterious moon.

The picture shows brightness variations across the surface and bright clouds near the south pole.

The images that comprise the mosaic have been processed to reduce the effects of the atmosphere, a thick shroud of smog-like particles, and to sharpen surface features. Surface features are best seen near the center of the disc, where the spacecraft is looking directly downwards; the contrast becomes progressively lower and surface features become fuzzier towards the outside, where the spacecraft is peering through haze, a circumstance that washes out surface features.

The brighter region on the right side and equatorial region is named Xanadu. Scientists are debating what processes may have created the bizarre surface brightness patterns seen here. The images hint at a young surface with, no obvious craters. However, the exact nature of that activity, whether tectonic, wind-blown, fluvial, marine, or volcanic is still to be determined.

The view is centered on 15 degrees South latitude, and 156 degrees West longitude. The data were gathered on Oct. 26 and the image was released last week.

Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute