Pioneer Saturn EncounterUnited States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Science
Pioneer Saturn Encounter
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Pioneer (Space probes); Saturn probes
These images, while helping to unravel some of the mystery surrounding
the planet, have created even more interest regarding it. We are really
just beginning to know Saturn. It is up to future spacecraft to more
completely reveal her secrets and solve her mysteries.
[Illustration: High-quality contemporary Earth-based view of Saturn
(Photo: Catalina Observatory, University of Arizona).]
[Illustration: Nomenclature of bright rings.]
OUTER (A) RING
CASSINI DIVISION
MIDDLE (B) RING
CREPE (C) RING
[Illustration: Pioneer Saturn image of Saturn and its rings from a
distance of 8,400,000 km (August 22, 1979, 10 days before closest
approach). Resolution has not yet reached Earth-based quality. Faint
banding is visible on the disk of the planet. The silhouette of the
rings can be seen in front of the planet. Slightly above this
silhouette is the shadow of the rings on the disk. Beyond the disk,
structure can be seen in the rings. The rings have a distinctly
different appearance in this and subsequent images than in
Earth-based pictures because they are illuminated from below rather
than from above as we view them from Earth. The A-ring and C-ring
are bright, and between them the B-ring is dark. The Cassini
Division at the inner edge of the A-ring is also bright, but is
blended with the ring at this distance.]
[Illustration: Pioneer Saturn image of Saturn and its rings from a
distance of 5,500,000 km (August 26, 1979, 6 days before closest
approach). Resolution of features is beginning to be approximately
equal to that of Earth-based pictures. Belts on the planet are
becoming more distinct, and considerable structure can be seen in
the rings. The small blue spot at the bottom of the planet is due to
incomplete data and will be corrected by further processing. A notch
appears at the top left of the planet, which may be a data
transmission problem or the shadow of one of Saturn’s moons.]
[Illustration: Pioneer Saturn image of Saturn and its rings from a
distance of 2,800,000 km (August 29, 1979, 72 hours before closest
approach). The Cassini Division at the inner edge of the A-ring is
clearly resolved and is bright. The A-ring is dark outside the
Cassini Division because it has more particulate matter there. Polar
belts are becoming more visible on the face of the planet.
Irregularities that appear in the ring silhouette and shadow are due
to stepping anomalies in the imaging photopolarimeter and will be
removed in further processing. The small round image that appears
above the planet is the moon Titan.]
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