Edge-On View of Saturn's Rings
Top Image
This is a Hubble Space Telescope snapshot of Saturn with its rings barely visible. Normally, astronomers see Saturn with its rings tilted. Earth was almost in the plane of Saturn's rings, thus the rings appear edge-on.
Bottom Image
This photograph shows Saturn with its rings slightly tilted. The moon called Dione, on the lower right, is casting a long, thin shadow across the whole ring system due to the setting Sun on the ring plane. The moon on the upper left of Saturn is Tethys.
Credit:
About the Image
NASA press release
NASA caption
NASA caption
| Id: | opo9616a |
| Type: | Collage |
| Release date: | 24 April 1996, 06:00 |
| Size: | 2589 x 2057 px |
About the Object
| Name: | Dione, Saturn, Tethys, Titan |
| Type: | • Solar System : Planet : Type : Gas Giant • Solar System : Planet : Satellite |
Colours & filters
| Band | Telescope |
| Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 |
