© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY · WNPR
WPKT · WRLI-FM · WEDW-FM · Public Files Contact
ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

PHOTO: Saturn's Holiday Closeup

By Mark Memmott
Published December 27, 2013 at 11:35 AM EST
Saturn, looking something like a hand-painted ornament, in a newly released image from NASA.
NASA.gov
Saturn, looking something like a hand-painted ornament, in a newly released image from NASA.

Just before Christmas, NASA released a photo of Saturn that we can't resist posting.

Here's how the space agency describes the image:

"The globe of Saturn, seen here in natural color, is reminiscent of a holiday ornament in this wide-angle view from NASA's Cassini spacecraft. The characteristic hexagonal shape of Saturn's northern jet stream, somewhat yellow here, is visible. At the pole lies a Saturnian version of a high-speed hurricane, eye and all. ...

"This view was acquired at a distance of approximately 611,000 miles (984,000 kilometers) from Saturn."

Rhea, Saturn's second-largest moon, seen in front of Titan.
/ NASA.gov
/
NASA.gov
Rhea, Saturn's second-largest moon, seen in front of Titan.

There's also a pretty impressive image of "Saturn's largest and second largest moons, Titan and Rhea [which] appear to be stacked on top of each otherin this true-color scene."

(H/T to University Herald.)

Related posts from the past year or so:

-- LOOK: Cassini's Version Of 'The Pale Blue Dot'

-- Look Up And Smile: NASA's Taking More Photos Of Earth

-- Saturn Shows Off A Massive Spinning Vortex: 'The Rose'

-- Infrared Views Of Two Of Saturn's Moons Reveal 'Pac-Man' Features

-- On Saturn, Cassini Observes Huge Storm, Causing Incredible Temperature Spike

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Tags
spaceNPR Top Storiesphotography
Mark Memmott
Mark Memmott is NPR's supervising senior editor for Standards & Practices. In that role, he's a resource for NPR's journalists – helping them raise the right questions as they do their work and uphold the organization's standards.
See stories by Mark Memmott

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Donate
Related Content