Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Explanation:One of our Solar System's mosttantalizingworlds, Enceladus is backlit by the Sun in this Cassini spacecraft image from November 1, 2009.The dramatic illuminationreveals the plumes that continuously spew into space from the south pole ofSaturn's 500 kilometer diameter moon. Discovered by Cassini in 2005, the icy plumes are likely connected to an oceanbeneath the ice shellof Enceladus. They supply material directly to Saturn's outer, tenuousE ringand make the surface of Enceladus as reflective as snow. Across the scene, Saturn's icy rings scatter sunlight toward Cassini's cameras. Beyond the rings (lower right), the night side of 80 kilometer diameter moonPandorais faintly lit bySaturnlight.Tomorrow's picture:pixels in space