The Ringed Planet

Actually, it is one of several ringed planets but the only one whose rings are visible in a telescope on Earth. Today’s APOD posted this wonderful false-color image of Saturn as seen by the Cassini spacecraft in orbit there. Note the backside of the planet (with the sun almost directly on the other side of Saturn) where the solar light reflected from the rings illuminate the dark side.

Imagine being on the dark side of the planet and observing the rings from that position. Click on the image to enlarge.

The Ringed Planet

Image courtesy NASA and Cassini.

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