Image 4-1
The Ringed Planet

This amazingly detailed image of the planet Saturn was captured by NASA's Cassini spacecraft in October 2004. The image is a composite made from 126 separate, smaller images. In this view, it is apparent that the rings are composed of hundreds of smaller ringlets. Subtle variations in the color of the rings can also be seen. The shadow of the rings on the planet can be seen at the top of the image. Saturn is a gas giant plane similar in composition to Jupiter. It is composed mainly of hydrogen and helium.