土星的夜面

2022年11月26日

Saturn at Night
NASA, JPL-Caltech, Space Science Institute, Mindaugas Macijauskas

Explanation: Saturn is still bright in planet Earth’s night skies. Telescopic views of the distant gas giant and its beautiful rings often make it a star at star parties. But this stunning view of Saturn’s rings and night side just isn’t possible from telescopes closer to the Sun than the outer planet. They can only bring Saturn’s day into view. In fact, this image of Saturn’s slender sunlit crescent with night’s shadow cast across its broad and complex ring system was captured by the Cassini spacecraft. A robot spacecraft from planet Earth, Cassini called Saturn orbit home for 13 years before it was directed to dive into the atmosphere of the gas giant on September 15, 2017. This magnificent mosaic is composed of frames recorded by Cassini’s wide-angle camera only two days before its grand final plunge. Saturn’s night will not be seen again until another spaceship from Earth calls.

Tomorrow’s picture: supernumerary

土星的夜面
NASA, JPL-Caltech, Space Science Institute, Mindaugas Macijauskas

说明: 目前在地球夜空中仍然很明亮的土星，望远镜可清楚见到它的身影和美丽的环系，因此常成为星空派对的明星。不过，这些望远镜只能为我们带来土星的白昼面，而这幅精采图像所呈现的环系和土星夜面，则是比外行星更近太阳的望远镜不得见的景观。这幅记录土星美丽蛾眉日耀区和投射在庞大复杂环系上的暗影之图像，是由卡西尼号宇宙飞船所拍摄。来自地球的卡西尼号无人宇宙飞船，长达13年以土星轨道为家，然后在2017年9月15日接获指令，舍身跃入这颗气态巨行星的大气里。这幅壮丽的拼接图像，组合自卡西尼号的广角相机在舍身的前二天所拍摄的多幅照片。除非未来有地球其他的宇宙飞船再次造访，否则土星的夜面景观将不再复现。

明日的图片: supernumerary