CICLOPS: Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for OPerationS

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Racing Rocks

 

Prometheus (at left) chases Pandora in this Cassini view, but the outcome of their race has already been decided by gravity. Prometheus (86 kilometers, 53 miles across) orbits closer to Saturn and thus moves faster than does Pandora (81 kilometers, 50 miles across).

This view is from a third of a degree beneath the ringplane. Familiar ring features that are visible from higher angles above the rings are foreshortened here. The planet’s dark shadow stretches across the ringplane at center.

The image was taken in visible light with the narrow angle camera on September 8, 2005, from a distance of approximately 1.8 million kilometers (1.1 million miles) from Saturn. The image scale is 10 kilometers (6 miles) per pixel on Prometheus and Pandora.

 

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