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Saturday, September 10, 2011 11:14:28 AM
Out of this world: This amazing picture of Saturn was taken by the Cassini probe. If you look carefully, you can see planet Earth to the left, nestling just above the bright rings
Incredible picture of Saturn that runs rings around all the others (and if you look carefully, you'll see Earth in the distance)
By Ted Thornhill
Last updated at 5:16 PM on 7th September 2011
There have been some amazing photographs taken of Saturn over the years, but none quite like this.
The stunning image comes courtesy of the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft while it was in orbit around the planet, which is the sixth furthest from the sun and lies around 800million miles from Earth.
It was taken at night as the probe looked back at the eclipsed sun, resulting in a picture that one Nasa astronomer described as ‘like no other’.
Here’s his explanation of why the image is so unusual: ‘First, the night side of Saturn is seen to be partly lit by light reflected from its own majestic ring system.
‘Next, the rings themselves appear dark when silhouetted against Saturn, but quite bright when viewed away from Saturn, slightly scattering sunlight, in this exaggerated colour image.
‘Saturn's rings light up so much that new rings were discovered, although they are hard to see in the image. Seen in spectacular detail, however, is Saturn's E ring, the ring created by the newly discovered ice-fountains of the moon Enceladus and the outermost ring visible above.’
He also points out that, if you look very carefully, planet Earth can be seen to the left, just above the bright main rings.
The Cassini-Huygens spacecraft, one of the largest ever built, was launched in 1997 and has taken thousand of breath-taking photographs, as well as providing some remarkable scientific data.
In November 2006, for instance, it spied a storm on Saturn that makes Earth’s hurricanes look like gentle summer breezes.
Raging at the planet’s south pole was a storm measuring 5,000 miles across and 43 miles high, with winds peaking at 350mph. Cassini also discovered seven new moons in orbit around Saturn, bringing the total number to 62.
Cassini has spent some of its mission-time analysing Jupiter, too, taking a staggering 26,000 photographs of the giant planet. These led to a far greater understanding of its atmospheric conditions.
The probe’s mission will end when it is sent crashing into the surface of Saturn in 2017, sending back readings as it goes.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2034615/The-picture-Saturn-runs-rings-others.html#ixzz1XYxePqkp
Incredible picture of Saturn that runs rings around all the others (and if you look carefully, you'll see Earth in the distance)
By Ted Thornhill
Last updated at 5:16 PM on 7th September 2011
There have been some amazing photographs taken of Saturn over the years, but none quite like this.
The stunning image comes courtesy of the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft while it was in orbit around the planet, which is the sixth furthest from the sun and lies around 800million miles from Earth.
It was taken at night as the probe looked back at the eclipsed sun, resulting in a picture that one Nasa astronomer described as ‘like no other’.
Here’s his explanation of why the image is so unusual: ‘First, the night side of Saturn is seen to be partly lit by light reflected from its own majestic ring system.
‘Next, the rings themselves appear dark when silhouetted against Saturn, but quite bright when viewed away from Saturn, slightly scattering sunlight, in this exaggerated colour image.
‘Saturn's rings light up so much that new rings were discovered, although they are hard to see in the image. Seen in spectacular detail, however, is Saturn's E ring, the ring created by the newly discovered ice-fountains of the moon Enceladus and the outermost ring visible above.’
He also points out that, if you look very carefully, planet Earth can be seen to the left, just above the bright main rings.
The Cassini-Huygens spacecraft, one of the largest ever built, was launched in 1997 and has taken thousand of breath-taking photographs, as well as providing some remarkable scientific data.
In November 2006, for instance, it spied a storm on Saturn that makes Earth’s hurricanes look like gentle summer breezes.
Raging at the planet’s south pole was a storm measuring 5,000 miles across and 43 miles high, with winds peaking at 350mph. Cassini also discovered seven new moons in orbit around Saturn, bringing the total number to 62.
Cassini has spent some of its mission-time analysing Jupiter, too, taking a staggering 26,000 photographs of the giant planet. These led to a far greater understanding of its atmospheric conditions.
The probe’s mission will end when it is sent crashing into the surface of Saturn in 2017, sending back readings as it goes.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2034615/The-picture-Saturn-runs-rings-others.html#ixzz1XYxePqkp
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