NASA’sCassini spacecraftis once again showcasing its skills as a prominent lensman after having snap this truly sensational photograph of Saturn and its largest moon , Titan .
The prototype , in which the cosmic body appear to bemimicking the Moon , was adopt in purple light on August 11 , 2013 , using the investigation ’s wide - angle camera . The craftiness was some 1.1 million miles ( 1.7 million kilometers ) from Saturn at the clip .
NASA / JPL - Caltech / Space Science Institute
Alongside tickling our visual good sense , image such as this are helping further our understanding of the planet and its moonlight as they can provide us with important scientific info .
“ More than just pretty pictures , high - phase observations- taken looking generally toward the Sun , as in this image- are very powerful scientifically since the way atmospheres and band transmit sun is often symptomatic of composing and physical Department of State , ” NASA say in astatement . “ In this illustration , Titan ’s crescent nearly encircles its magnetic disk due to the little daze particles luxuriously in its air scattering the incoming light of the distant Sun . ”
Cassini has been whir around Saturn , the 6th planet from the Sun , for more thanten yearsnow after being sent into outer space in1997 . Since it was put into orbit , it has made some unbelievable discovery about the gas giant and its huge raiment of intriguing moons . For deterrent example , the mission has revealed the unexpected similarities between Titan and Earth , such as its ownership of lakes , river , C. P. Snow , clouds and mayhap even volcanoes . But rather than featuring water systems like on our major planet , its surface liquidity takes the manikin ofmethane and ethane .
During its clip spend encircling Saturn , Cassini
has take in numerous photo of Titan . in the beginning this workweek , for example , we received aspectacular imageof sunshine twinkling off of the planet ’s ocean , which had never been seen before .
NASA / JPL - Caltech / University of Arizona / University of Idaho
Cassini should continue its missionary work until at least2017 , when the craft will intentionally kamikaze into the ringed planet ’s standard atmosphere , ending its journey in a fiery manner .
[ ViaNASAandspace.com ]
