NASA’s Cassini mission

Cassini’s last look at Titan reveals more surprises

17 April 2019 Astronomy Now

During the Cassini spacecraft’s final close flyby of Saturn’s moon Titan, small-but-deep lakes of pure methane were found atop mesa-like landforms.

Cassini data shows Saturn’s rings likely a recent phenomenon

18 January 2019 Astronomy Now

Analysis of data collected near the end of the Cassini spacecraft’s mission to Saturn indicate the planet’s spectacular rings are a relatively recent phenomenon.

Cassini image captures five of Saturn’s moons in one frame

1 August 2018 Astronomy Now

In 2011, NASA’s Cassini spacecraft captured a view showing five of Saturn’s moons – Janus, tiny Pandora, the water world Enceladus, Mimas and Rhea, the planet’s second largest moon – in a single frame, a family portrait that is riveting in its stark beauty.

Computer simulations suggest reason for strange moon shapes

22 May 2018 William Harwood

Computer simulations show how some of Saturn’s small inner moons might have acquired their unique pasta-like shapes thanks to low-velocity near head-on impacts of smaller bodies in the presence of extremely strong tidal forces.

The gift that goes on giving – Cassini at Saturn

16 May 2018 Astronomy Now

Saturn’s rings cast sharp shadows across the planet’s northern hemisphere in a view captured by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft in 2007 at a distance of about 1 million miles, using red, green and blue filters to produce a natural-colour view.

Taking a shine to Enceladus

3 April 2018 Astronomy Now

Saturn’s rings cast shadows on the planet’s cloud tops, providing a perfect backdrop for the brilliant sphere of the moon Enceladus in this image taken by NASA’s Cassini probe.

Saturn’s ‘Great Northern Storm’ still an awesome sight to behold

6 March 2018 William Harwood

For reasons not yet understood, Saturn seems to store energy in its atmosphere over decades before suddenly releasing it in massive lightning storms that affect the ringed planet’s atmosphere across enormous distances. The Great Northern Storm of 2010/11 circled Saturn like a snake eating its tail, persisting for months before dissipating.