                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2024 November 2

                               Saturn at Night
     Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, Space Science Institute, Mindaugas
                                 Macijauskas

   Explanation: Saturn is bright in Earth's night skies. Telescopic views
   of the outer gas giant planet and its beautiful rings often make it a
   star at star parties. But this stunning view of Saturn's rings and
   night side just isn't possible from telescopes in the vicinity of
   planet Earth. Peering out from the inner Solar System they can only
   bring Saturn's day side into view. In fact, this image of Saturn's
   slender sunlit crescent with night's shadow cast across its broad and
   complex ring system was captured by the Cassini spacecraft. A robot
   spacecraft from planet Earth, Cassini called Saturn orbit home for 13
   years before it was directed to dive into the atmosphere of the gas
   giant on September 15, 2017. This magnificent mosaic is composed of
   frames recorded by Cassini's wide-angle camera only two days before its
   grand final plunge. Saturn's night will not be seen again until another
   spaceship from Earth calls.

                   Tomorrow's picture: gaze into the abyss
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
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                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

