Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                2020 August 8

                               Crescent Saturn
             Image Credit: NASA, ESA, SSI, Cassini Imaging Team

   Explanation: From Earth, Saturn never shows a crescent phase. But when
   viewed from a spacecraft the majestic giant planet can show just a
   sunlit slice. This image of crescent Saturn in natural color was taken
   by the robotic Cassini spacecraft in 2007. It captures Saturn's rings
   from the side of the ring plane opposite the Sun -- the unilluminated
   side -- another vista not visible from Earth. Visible are subtle colors
   of cloud bands, the complex shadows of the rings on the planet, and the
   shadow of the planet on the rings. The moons Mimas, at 2 o'clock, and
   Janus 4 o'clock, can be seen as specks of light, but the real challenge
   is to find Pandora (8 o'clock). From Earth, Saturn's disk is nearly
   full now and opposite the Sun. Along with bright fellow giant planet
   Jupiter it rises in the early evening.

                       Tomorrow's picture: elementree
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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