Saturn from space | The Big Foto

NASA’s Cassini mission has been orbiting Saturn for five Earth years as of June 30, 2009. That’s about one sixth of a Saturnian year, enough time for the spacecraft to have observed seasonal changes in the planet, its moons and sunlight’s angle on the dramatic rings.

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn, along with Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune, is classified as a gas giant.

Saturn has a prominent system of rings, consisting mostly of ice particles with a smaller amount of rocky debris and dust. Sixty-one known moons orbit the planet, not counting hundreds of “moonlets” within the rings. Titan, Saturn’s largest and the Solar System’s second largest moon (after Jupiter’s Ganymede), is larger than the planet Mercury and is the only moon in the Solar System to possess a significant atmosphere. [Wikipedia]

This mosaic combines 30 images—10 each of red, green and blue light—taken over the course of approximately two hours as Cassini panned its wide-angle camera across the entire planet and ring system on July 23, 2008, from a southerly elevation of 6 degrees.

Six moons complete this constructed panorama: Titan (5,150 kilometers, or 3,200 miles, across), Janus (179 kilometers, or 111 miles, across), Mimas (396 kilometers, or 246 miles, across), Pandora (81 kilometers, or 50 miles, across), Epimetheus (113 kilometers, or 70 miles, across) and Enceladus (504 kilometers, or 313 miles, across).

NASA's Cassini spacecraft captured these images at a distance of approximately 1.1 million kilometers (690,000 miles) from Saturn and at a sun-Saturn-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 20 degrees. Image scale is 70 kilometers (43.6 miles) per pixel.

1 This mosaic combines 30 images—10 each of red, green and blue light—taken over the course of approximately two hours as Cassini panned its wide-angle camera across the entire planet and ring system on July 23, 2008, from a southerly elevation of 6 degrees. Six moons complete this constructed panorama: Titan (5,150 kilometers, or 3,200 miles, across), Janus (179 kilometers, or 111 miles, across), Mimas (396 kilometers, or 246 miles, across), Pandora (81 kilometers, or 50 miles, across), Epimetheus (113 kilometers, or 70 miles, across) and Enceladus (504 kilometers, or 313 miles, across). NASA's Cassini spacecraft captured these images at a distance of approximately 1.1 million kilometers (690,000 miles) from Saturn and at a sun-Saturn-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 20 degrees. Image scale is 70 kilometers (43.6 miles) per pixel. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute #

2 Rough comparison of sizes of Saturn and Earth. Credit: PD-USGOV-NASA. #

NASA's Voyager 2 took this 'false color' photograph of Saturn on July 21, 1981, when the spacecraft was 33.9 million kilometers (21 million miles) from the planet.

3 NASA's Voyager 2 took this 'false color' photograph of Saturn on July 21, 1981, when the spacecraft was 33.9 million kilometers (21 million miles) from the planet. Credit: NASA/JPL #

This image is courtesy of the new Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS), which has taken its first peek at Saturn. It is in vivid colors in honor of the 8th anniversary of Hubble launching.

4 This image is courtesy of the new Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS), which has taken its first peek at Saturn. It is in vivid colors in honor of the 8th anniversary of Hubble launching. Credit: NASA/JPL/STScI #

In this narrow angle camera image from May 21, 2004, the ringed planet displays subtle, multi-hued atmospheric bands, colored by yet undetermined compounds.

5 In this narrow angle camera image from May 21, 2004, the ringed planet displays subtle, multi-hued atmospheric bands, colored by yet undetermined compounds. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute #

It is no Great Red Spot as in Jupiter, but these two side-by-side views show the longest-lived electrical storm yet observed on Saturn by NASA's Cassini spacecraft. The views were acquired more than three months after the storm was first detected from its lightning-produced radio discharges on Nov. 27, 2007.

6 It is no Great Red Spot as in Jupiter, but these two side-by-side views show the longest-lived electrical storm yet observed on Saturn by NASA's Cassini spacecraft. The views were acquired more than three months after the storm was first detected from its lightning-produced radio discharges on Nov. 27, 2007. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute #

On Earth, hurricanes in the Southern Hemisphere rotate clockwise. Thus, the storms in these images of Saturn's southern latitudes could be called

7 On Earth, hurricanes in the Southern Hemisphere rotate clockwise. Thus, the storms in these images of Saturn's southern latitudes could be called "anti-hurricanes." This backwards spiraling (compared to Earth) is common on the giant planets. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute #

8 In this image, Saturn's fascinating meteorology manifests itself in a "string of pearls" formation, spanning over 60,000 kilometers (37,000 miles). This image was taken on April 27, 2006. Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona #

These images of Saturn's south pole, taken by two different instruments on Cassini, show the hurricane-like storm swirling there and features in the clouds at various depths surrounding the pole. Different wavelengths reveal the height of the clouds, which span tens of kilometers in altitude.

9 These images of Saturn's south pole, taken by two different instruments on Cassini, show the hurricane-like storm swirling there and features in the clouds at various depths surrounding the pole. Different wavelengths reveal the height of the clouds, which span tens of kilometers in altitude. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute/University of Arizona #

This nighttime movie of the depths of the north pole of Saturn taken by the visual infrared mapping spectrometer onboard NASA's Cassini Orbiter reveals a dynamic, active planet lurking underneath the ubiquitous cover of upper-level hazes. The defining feature of Saturn's north polar regions -- the six-sided hexagon feature -- is clearly visible in the image. 1 hour period on Nov. 10, 2006.

10 This nighttime movie of the depths of the north pole of Saturn taken by the visual infrared mapping spectrometer onboard NASA's Cassini Orbiter reveals a dynamic, active planet lurking underneath the ubiquitous cover of upper-level hazes. The defining feature of Saturn's north polar regions -- the six-sided hexagon feature -- is clearly visible in the image. 1 hour period on Nov. 10, 2006. Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona #

11 A bright, powerful, lightning-producing storm churns and coasts along the lane of Saturn's southern hemisphere nicknamed "Storm Alley" by scientists. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute #

12 Cassini takes in a sweeping view of Saturn's south polar region as the planet's shadow masks the rings and bright, icy Mimas looks on from left. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute #

13 Saturn's softly glowing rings shine in scattered sunlight. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute #

Saturn's most prominent feature, its dazzling ring system, takes center stage in this stunning natural color mosaic which reveals the color and diversity present in this wonder of the solar system. Gaps, gravitational resonances and wave patterns are all present, and the delicate color variations across the system are clearly visible. Dec. 12, 2004.

14 Saturn's most prominent feature, its dazzling ring system, takes center stage in this stunning natural color mosaic which reveals the color and diversity present in this wonder of the solar system. Gaps, gravitational resonances and wave patterns are all present, and the delicate color variations across the system are clearly visible. Dec. 12, 2004. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute #

Specially designed Cassini orbits place Earth and Cassini on opposite sides of Saturn's rings, a geometry known as occultation. Cassini conducted the first radio occultation observation of Saturn's rings on May 3, 2005.

15 Specially designed Cassini orbits place Earth and Cassini on opposite sides of Saturn's rings, a geometry known as occultation. Cassini conducted the first radio occultation observation of Saturn's rings on May 3, 2005. Credit: NASA/JPL #

16 A scan across Saturn's incredible halo of ice rings yields a study in precision and order. 2007-10-15. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute #

From its station nearly 1.2 billion kilometers (746 million miles) from Earth, the stalwart Cassini spacecraft sends holiday greetings to Earth with this lovely color portrait of Saturn and two of its moons, Titans and Mimas. 2004-12-24.

17 From its station nearly 1.2 billion kilometers (746 million miles) from Earth, the stalwart Cassini spacecraft sends holiday greetings to Earth with this lovely color portrait of Saturn and two of its moons, Titans and Mimas. 2004-12-24. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute #

18 A frigid ball of gas in the blackness of space, Cassini's new home, Saturn, appears cool and serene in this natural color image. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute #

Saturn eclipsing the sun, seen from behind from the Cassini orbiter. The image is a composite assembled from images taken by the Cassini spacecraft on 15 September, 2006.

19 Saturn eclipsing the sun, seen from behind from the Cassini orbiter. The image is a composite assembled from images taken by the Cassini spacecraft on 15 September, 2006. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute #

20 Nice animation and a fun location, maybe a neighbor of Jules Verne :) I hope you have enjoyed the set. Credit: SockPuppetForTomruen #

Comments (6)

Serena wrote::

Maravillosas fotos, hermosas, imponentes.

Greetings from Mexico.

Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 2:36 pm #
neto wrote::

great pics!!!
cheers from mexico too

Friday, July 3, 2009 at 2:37 am #
elescogido wrote::

Todo esto me acerca mas a Dios el creador del Universo, cuan grande y maravillosas son sus obras y que le haya permitido al hombre un poco de su sabiduria conocimiento y ciencia para que contemple su creacion. Shalom

Friday, July 3, 2009 at 8:10 pm #
dagmar leon wrote::

Awesome!

Monday, July 6, 2009 at 3:59 am #
Richard Reyes wrote::

remarkable!the ring of saturn look’s like refined sand.but a closer image reveals rocky debris,constantly orbiting,yet never touching,or colliding.could it be that debris also posses gravity forms?

Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 5:26 pm #
Our Solar System wrote::

Truly fantastic images, thanks for posting these.

Friday, July 8, 2011 at 5:09 pm #