Picture of the day - April 26, 2005

Saturn's Rings & The Moon Enceladus

Photo courtesy of NASA.  Today's photo features the rings of the planet Saturn (in the shadow of the planet) and the Saturnian moon Enceladus. At only about 300 miles in diameter, Enceladus is a small moon when compared to the others orbiting Saturn. Since its surface is covered ice, Enceladus has the highest albedo (intrinsic brightness) of any object in our solar system except for the sun. Saturn is the second largest planet in our solar system - only Jupiter is larger. The distinctive colorful rings of Saturn coupled with the planet's size and brightness make it one of the most photographed objects in the solar system. This amazing image was taken in March 2005 as the spacecraft Cassini crossed the plane of Saturn's rings. Plans call for Cassini to orbit Saturn for the next three years, sending back photo after photo of the planet itself as well as its rings and moons.   Picture Of The Day Homepage Interesting Articles