Saturn’s hexagon and rings are on display in this new image from Cassini. Click for larger version. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Space Science Institute
A stunning new photo has just been published showing Saturn’s north polar hexagon and rings together in one image.
The hexagon, a huge and enigmatic six-sided cloud system which surrounds Saturn’s north pole, is clearly visible, as are the rings in the background, although they are largely obscured by the planet’s shadow. Of course, both the hexagon and rings have been photographed many times before, but this new image poignantly captures both together.
The image was taken by the Cassini spacecraft at a distance of approximately 649,000 kilometres (403,000 miles) from Saturn. The resolution is about 35 kilometres (25 miles) per pixel.
Paul Scott Anderson is a freelance space writer with a life-long passion for space exploration and astronomy. He currently writes for AmericaSpace, Universe Today and Examiner.com. His own blog The Meridiani Journal is a chronicle of planetary exploration.
