Image 4-5
Saturn at Equinox
This view of Saturn was taken by the Cassini spacecraft in 2009 during the planet's equinox, when the angle of the Sun is lower in relation to Saturn's rings making them appear darker. It also highlights small details that normally would go unnoticed. It makes larger particles in the rings more visible because they cast longer shadows due to the low light angle. Equinox only occurs on Saturn once every 15 Earth years. Although the average thickness of the rings is only about 30 feet (9 meters), studies during equinox have revealed sections that are nearly 2 miles (3.2 km) high.
NASA / JPL / Space Science Institute
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