 NASA / JPL / SSI | |
| The moon Rhea, at far right, is dwarfed by Saturn. The shadow of another moon, Tethys, dots the disk at far left. Click on the image for a larger version. |
The Cassini orbiter has been working overtime during the holidays to deliver a cartload of gifts from Saturn and its moons. Highlights include fresh views of frost-spewing Enceladus and yam-shaped Prometheus, plus a “Nutcracker”-style ballet of Saturnian satellites.
The excitement began last week with the animated images of moons passing back and forth with the giant planet and its rings as a backdrop. In an image advisory, the folks who process Cassini’s pictures compared the interplay to the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” ballet.
My favorite movie is “Moon Jumble,” which has Rhea in the starring role, joined by its siblings Janus, Mimas and Pandora. (That’s the real Pandora, not the fictional “Avatar” moon). Make sure you stretch your browser window wide enough to take in the whole picture.
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