1 min read
The Cassini spacecraft takes a look through the atmosphere of Saturn's largest moon to spy light and dark in the area called Adiri on Titan. The image was taken Jan. 29, 2010.
This is one of the two most important Titan encounters for the Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) in the extended mission. These high (about 7,000 kilometer, 4350 mile) flybys were designed to provide very long, low phase, high-resolution views of Titan's surface.
On this high-altitude encounter, ISS performed high-resolution observations during and after closest approach along the equator from eastern Belet across the trailing hemisphere to western Senkyo, imaging Senkyo at very low phase angles (less than five degrees). The Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) captured the farthest north vertical profiles of the extended mission, observing the composition and temperature profile at 70 degrees north, and possibly observing the break up of winter/spring vortex.
Date
Apr. 5, 2010
Altitude
4,637 miles (7,462 km)
Speed
12,800 mph (5.7 km/sec)
Share
Details
Last Updated
Nov 06, 2024
Editor
NASA Science Editorial Team
