Enceladus Flyby 20 (E-20): Enceladus’ North Pole Revealed

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‘E-20′: Enceladus’ North Pole Revealed

During this flyby, Cassini will image the north polar regions of Enceladus — something not possible in the first years of the mission, when the moon’s north pole was in darkness. Scientists are eager to search for indications of whether the north polar region might have been geophysically active at some time in the past. There are also two plume observations designed to allow scientists to better understand the connection of specific jets to surface hot spots, and to search for variability in the plumes. After this flyby, only two close Enceladus flybys remain before the end of the mission in 2017.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/G-i_4hbi7hI

Enceladus Flyby at a Glance

Date
Oct. 14, 2015

Altitude
1,142 miles (1,839 km)

Speed (rel. to Enceladus)
19,014 mph (8.5 km/sec)