A Shadow on the Rings of Saturn
			
		
		
		
			This picture of Saturn could not have been taken from Earth. 
No Earth based picture could possibly view the 
night side of Saturn 
and the corresponding shadow cast across Saturn's rings. 
Since Earth is much closer to the 
Sun than 
Saturn, 
only the day side of the planet is visible from the Earth.  
Rather, this picture was taken by the robot 
Cassini spacecraft that began orbiting Saturn earlier this month.  
The dark western limb of 
Saturn 
looms large on the image right, while complex concentrations of 
small ring particles reflect sunlight on the image left.  
Saturn's enigmatic F ring is visible around the outside, showing 
mysterious knots.  
The small moon 
Epimetheus, 
only about 100 kilometers across, can also been seen on the far left.  
Cassini is scheduled to drop a 
probe toward the largest moon 
Titan in December.