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Saturn Equinox
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Saturn Equinox
August 12, 2009 - Of the countless equinoxes Saturn has seen since the birth of the solar system, this one, captured here in a mosaic of light and dark, is the first witnessed by Cassini.
Seen from our planet, the view of Saturnas rings during equinox is extremely foreshortened and limited. But in orbit around Saturn, Cassini had no such problems. From 20 degrees above the ring plane, Cassinias wide angle camera shot 75 exposures in succession for this mosaic showing Saturn, its rings, and a few of its moons a day and a half after exact Saturn equinox, when the sunas disk was exactly overhead at the planetas equator.
At this time so close to equinox, illumination of the rings by sunlight reflected off the planet vastly dominates any meager sunlight falling on the rings. Hence, the half of the rings on the left illuminated by planetshine is, before processing, much brighter than the half of the rings on the right. On the right, it is only the vertically extended parts of the rings that catch any substantial sunlight.
The moon Janus is on the lower left of this image. Epimetheus appears near the middle bottom. Pandora orbits outside the rings on the right of the image. The small moon Atlas orbits inside the thin F ring on the right of the image. The brightnesses of all the moons have been enhanced to make them more easily visible. Other bright specks are background stars.
This view looks toward the northern side of the rings from about 20 degrees above the ring plane
Stocktrek Images specializes in Astronomy, Dinosaurs, Medical, Military Forces, Ocean Life, & Sci-Fi
Media ID 13058329
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Atlas Dark Disc Disk Gas Giants Giant Planets Illuminated Light Luminous Mosaic Orbit Planet Planetary Rings Ring Ring Systems Rings Of Saturn Saturn Shadow Solar System Sunlight Surrounding Encircle Epimetheus Equinox Janus Pandora View From Space
EDITORS COMMENTS
This breathtaking print captures the Saturn Equinox on August 12,2009, a celestial event witnessed for the first time by Cassini. The image showcases a mesmerizing mosaic of light and dark, revealing Saturn, its magnificent rings, and a few of its moons. Unlike the foreshortened view seen from Earth during equinox, Cassini's vantage point in orbit around Saturn provides an unobstructed spectacle. Taken just one and a half days after exact equinox when the sun's disk was directly overhead at Saturn's equator, this image highlights how sunlight reflected off the planet dominates the illumination of its rings. Consequently, before processing, the left side of the rings illuminated by planetshine appears significantly brighter than their right counterpart where only vertically extended sections catch substantial sunlight. Within this cosmic tableau lies Janus on the lower left corner while Epimetheus graces near the middle bottom. Pandora gracefully orbits outside of Saturn's rings on the right side of this awe-inspiring composition. Atlas can be found inside the thin F ring on that same side. To enhance visibility, all moon brightnesses have been enhanced while other bright specks dotting this masterpiece are background stars. Captured from approximately 20 degrees above Saturn's ring plane with remarkable clarity and precision by Stocktrek Images (not affiliated with any company), this photograph offers an enchanting glimpse into our solar system's history and beauty that will leave viewers captivated by its celestial wonders.
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