Dione and Saturn

Description

Dione and ring shadows on Saturn, Cassini image. Dione is around 1123 kilometres in diameter and orbits some 377,000 kilometres from the giant Saturn. Saturn’s rings are edge-on in this view, and run across centre just below Dione. Due to the high inclination of Saturn to the Sun at this time, the shadows of the rings are widely spread across its clouds in upper frame. The varying densities of the rings are responsible for the varying darkness of the shadows. This image was taken on 22nd September 2005, when Cassini was around 803,000 kilometres from Dione. (Photo by Science Photo Library)