Saturn’s thin rings cast ever wider shadows on the planet’s southern hemisphere as the seasons progress on the gas giant, seen in a new picture from NASA’s Cassini orbiter. Saturn was at equinox in August 2009, when the sun was shining edge-on to the planet’s equator. The rings appeared almost invisible to astronomers on Earth, but from orbit Cassini was able to see previously unknown structures in the rings highlighted by the unusual equinox shadows. Saturn is now heading toward its summer solstice, which will happen in May 2017.
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Saturn’s thin rings cast ever wider shadows on the planet’s southern hemisphere as the seasons progress on the gas giant, seen in a new picture from NASA’s Cassini orbiter.

Saturn was at equinox in August 2009, when the sun was shining edge-on to the planet’s equator. The rings appeared almost invisible to astronomers on Earth, but from orbit Cassini was able to see previously unknown structures in the rings highlighted by the unusual equinox shadows.

Saturn is now heading toward its summer solstice, which will happen in May 2017.

Source: National Geographic

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