STILL 70 million kilometres from Saturn, the Cassini spacecraft is already delivering crisp images of the ringed planet. Bands in Saturn鈥檚 atmosphere are becoming visible in this picture, taken on 9 February, and the ice moon Enceladus appears as a white speck on the left. More striking are differences between the rings: the thick central B ring blocks out all features on the planet behind, unlike the tenuous inner C ring and the outer A ring.
Cassini is a joint US-European mission, launched in 1997 and due to enter Saturn鈥檚 orbit in early July. Over the next four years it should help scientists understand the puzzling dynamics of the planet. It will also map the giant moon Titan using radar, and drop a probe into its thick atmosphere.
As Cassini nears its destination, the rings will resolve into thousands of ringlets, and Saturn鈥檚 atmosphere will reveal intricate storm systems driven by some of the fastest winds in the solar system.
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