from NASA

Cassini--The Mission Continues
As Saturn advanced in its orbit toward equinox and the sun gradually moved northward on the planet, the motion of Saturn's ring shadows and the changing colors of its atmosphere continued to transform the face of Saturn as seen by Cassini in this image from the mission's fourth year.

Cassini has been orbiting Saturn for five Earth years as of June 30, 2009. That's about one sixth of a Saturnian year, enough time for the spacecraft to have observed seasonal changes in the planet, its moons and sunlight's angle on the dramatic rings.

This captivating natural color view was created from images collected shortly after Cassini began its extended Equinox Mission in July 2008. The mosaic combines 30 images--10 each of red, green and blue light—taken over the course of approximately two hours as Cassini panned its wide-angle camera across the entire planet and ring system on July 23, 2008, from a southerly elevation of 6 degrees.

Six moons complete this constructed panorama (see the full-size image): Titan (3,200 miles, or 5,150 kilometers, across), Janus (111 miles, or 179 kilometers, across), Mimas (396 kilometers, or 246 miles, across), Pandora (81 kilometers, or 50 miles, across), Epimetheus (70 miles, or 113 kilometers, across) and Enceladus (504 kilometers, or 313 miles, across).

Cassini captured these images at a distance of approximately 690,000 miles (1.1 million kilometers) from Saturn and at a sun-Saturn-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 20 degrees.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute


参考）

The New Solar System

How do you feel Cosmos... New Solar System... Gaia?

Pluto was recognized as a dwarfish one.

Sun（太陽）

Planet（惑星）　太陽系の惑星から冥王星が格下げになって、矮小惑星になった。惑星の数は８個になった。


Mercury（水星）　【ロ神】神々の使者、商業、雄弁、技術、旅行、盗賊などの使者　【HOLST】翼のある使者

Venus（金星）　【ロ神】愛と美の女神　【ギ神】Aphroditeに相当　【HOLST】平和をもたらすもの

Gaia（ガイア）　【サイエンス】地球生命体

Mars（火星）　【ロ神】戦いの神　【ギ神】Aresに相当　【HOLST】戦争をもたらすもの

Jupiter（木星）　【ロ神】神々の王で天の支配者　【ギ神】Zeusに相当　【HOLST】快楽をもたらすもの

Saturn（土星）　【ロ神】農耕の神、子供のJupiter以前のGolden Ageの主神　【ギ神】Cronusに相当　【HOLST】老年をもたらすもの

Uranus（天王星）　【ギ神】天の神で宇宙の初期支配者　【HOLST】魔術師

Neptune（海王星）　【ロ神】海洋の神　【ギ神】Poseidonに相当　【HOLST】神秘をもたらすもの

青柳洋介