Cassini gets close-up view of Saturn moon Atlas

Cassini gets close-up view of Saturn moon Atlas
This unprocessed image of Saturn's moon Atlas was taken on April 12, 2017, by NASA's Cassini spacecraft. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

These raw, unprocessed images of Saturn's moon, Atlas, were taken on April 12, 2017, by NASA's Cassini spacecraft. The flyby had a close-approach distance of about 7,000 miles (11,000 kilometers).

These images are the closest ever taken of Atlas and will help to characterize its shape and geology. Atlas (19 miles, or 30 kilometers across) orbits Saturn just outside the A ring—the outermost of the planet's bright, main rings.

  • Cassini gets close-up view of Saturn moon Atlas
    This unprocessed image of Saturn's moon Atlas was taken on April 12, 2017, by NASA's Cassini spacecraft. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
  • Cassini gets close-up view of Saturn moon Atlas
    This unprocessed image of Saturn's moon Atlas was taken on April 12, 2017, by NASA's Cassini spacecraft. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
  • Cassini gets close-up view of Saturn moon Atlas
    This unprocessed image of Saturn's moon Atlas was taken on April 12, 2017, by NASA's Cassini spacecraft. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

More information: Additional raw images from Cassini are available at saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/galleries/raw-images

Citation: Cassini gets close-up view of Saturn moon Atlas (2017, April 14) retrieved 29 June 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2017-04-cassini-close-up-view-saturn-moon.html
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