For the first time, the Cassini spacecraft has succeeded in capturing a photograph of Saturn's rings so close that it can see unprecedented levels of detail in ice particles in massive disks orbiting a planet.
These images of the outer parts of the main rings give scientists a long-awaited opportunity to observe such interesting features, the so-called 'straws' and 'propellers'. Despite the fact that Cassini has already observed similar phenomena earlier during its mission, the device is currently in the most suitable orbit for this – new images are taken with a resolution of 550 meters, which is comparable to the tallest buildings on Earth.
At the moment, Cassini is about halfway through its penultimate phase of the mission – twenty orbits, starting from the outer edge of the main ring system. The ring orbiting movement began last November and will continue until the end of April, when Cassini begins its grand final mission.
Sources: NASA
