images

Saturn from the vicinity of Dione

by

Walter B. Myers/Novapix

Reference

a-sat99-00022

Date

2009-02-09

This is how Saturn might appear from near Dione, one of Saturn's inner icy satellites. Dione is about 700 miles in diameter and is believed to be composed primarily of water ice along with lesser amounts of silicate rocks. In this image, Dione is in the foreground orbiting about 197 thousand miles above Saturn's cloud tops. Further toward Saturn at a distance of 50 thousand miles from Dione is Tethys, another icy moon, slightly smaller than Dione. Tethys is silhouetted against the "ring shine" on Saturn's night side--reflected sunlight on the cloud tops from Saturn's rings.