Topic: Stunning New Images From Cassini’s Close Flyby of Rhea

[sam]

Jia-Rui C. Cook from the Cassini team sent out an alert that raw images from Cassini’s closest flyby of Saturn’s moon Rhea have begun streaming to Cassini’s raw image page, and they are well worth a look. At closest approach, Cassini came within about 69 kilometers (43 miles) of Rhea’s surface on Jan. 11. But there’s also some interesting group photos from within the Saturn System. One of the best is this image, above. How many moons can you find? I probably wouldn’t have seen them all but Emily Lakdawalla at the Planetary Blog spied five moons and the rings in this one wide-angle shot. The large moon is Rhea; above Rhea and just below the rings, is Dione; above and to the left of Rhea is Tethys. Then there are two tiny moons: squint hard to see Prometheus as tiny lump on the rings to the left of Dione, and Epimetheus is hovering between Tethys and Rhea. See some more, including closeups of Rhea and Saturn’s storm, below.

http://www.universetoday.com/82445/stunning-new-images-from-cassinis-close-flyby-of-rhea/

[Clive]

Wonderful photos.  Cassini rocks!   

[Rik]

Is that anything like Blackpool?

[Clive]

Probably a bit harder but with Rhea stamped right through it!   

[Rik]