Saturn, Distant Moons

This true color picture was assembled from Voyager 2 Saturn images obtained August 4, 1981 from a distance of 21 million kilometers
(13 million miles) on the spacecraft's approach trajectory.

Three of Saturn's icy moons are evident at left. They are, in order of
distance from the planet: Tethys, 1,050 km. (652 mi.) in diameter; Dione, 1,120 km. (696 mi.); and Rhea, 1,530 km. (951 mi.).
The shadow of Tethys appears on Saturn's southern hemisphere. A fourth satellite, Mimas, is less evident, appearing as a bright
spot a quarter-inch in in from the planet's limb about half an inch above Tethys; the shadow of Mimas appears on the planet about
three-quarters of an inch directly above that of Tethys.

The pastel and yellow hues on the planet reveal many contrasting bright
and darker bands in both hemispheres of Saturn's weather system.


For a high resolution image, click here.