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.
Source: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241102.html
