CICLOPS: Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for OPerationS

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The Orbiting Fleet

 

A fleet of small moons patrols the outskirts of Saturn's icy rings.

The shepherd moons Prometheus (86 kilometers, 53 miles across) and Pandora (81 kilometers, 50 miles across) are seen respectively interior and exterior to the narrow F ring at lower left.

Janus (179 kilometers, 111 miles across) appears at center right, and Mimas (396 kilometers, 246 miles across) is visible at lower right.

A 2007 movie sequence acquired during a Cassini ringplane crossing (PIA08356) presents a similar view, with moons in motion.

This view looks toward the unilluminated side of the rings from about 14 degrees above the ringplane. A background star is faintly visible directly between Prometheus and Mimas.

The image was taken in visible blue light with the Cassini spacecraft wide-angle camera on March 16, 2008. The view was acquired at a distance of approximately 1.5 million kilometers (960,000 miles) from Saturn. Image scale is 97 kilometers (60 miles) per pixel.

 

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The Orbiting Fleet
PIA 09890


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