APOD: Lantern Saturn (2012 May 31)

[APOD Robot]

Lantern Saturn

Explanation: Known for its bright ring system and many moons, gas giant Saturn looks strange and unfamiliar in this false-color view from the Cassini spacecraft. In fact, in this Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) mosaic the famous rings are almost invisible, seen edge-on cutting across picture center. The most striking contrast in the image is along the terminator or boundary between night and day. To the right (day side) blue-green hues are visible sunlight reflected from Saturn's cloud tops. But on the left (night side) in the absence of sunlight, the lantern-like glow of infrared radiation from the planet's warm interior silhouettes features at Saturn's deeper cloud levels. The infrared glow also shines from the broad shadows of Saturn's rings sweeping across the planet's upper hemisphere.

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[biddie67]

Fascinating to be able to "see" these different aspects all existing at the same time. Thank you Cassini !!

[saturno2]

Saturn, Saturn
My favorite planet
In this false-color image seems a strange planet
Rings appear as a thin line

[orin stepanek]

Next to Earth, Saturn is the most beautiful planet!
Prettier than the old kerosene lantern!

Click to view full size image

[neufer]

King Henry IV, Part i Act 3, Scene 3

FALSTAFF: Thou Art our admiral, thou bearest the lantern in the poop,
. but 'tis in the nose of thee; thou Art the Knight of the Burning Lamp.

[Boomer12k]

what would those tempuratures be???


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[Just Another Wigit]

what would those tempuratures be???

look here => http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/science/index.cfm?SciencePageID=51

[Eddie]

I love to see photos of these Gas Giants, but I can't help wondering how they came to be. Are they failed stars? Why does the gas not disperse?

[Chris Peterson]

I love to see photos of these Gas Giants, but I can't help wondering how they came to be. Are they failed stars? Why does the gas not disperse?

No, they are not failed stars. They are made of material that was in orbit around the early center of our Solar System (the forming Sun) and which came together- still in orbit- primarily under the influence of gravity. And it's gravity that keeps them from dispersing.