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Explanation: Normally, Earth based astronomers view Saturn's spectacular ring system fully illuminated by reflected sunlight. However, this November 1995 Hubble Space Telescope composite image was made to take advantage of an unusual perspective, with the Sun actually illuminating the rings from below. The three bright ring features are visible because the rings themselves are not solid. Composed of many separate chunks of rocky, icy material, the rings allow the scattered sunlight to pass through them -- offering a dramatic demonstration that they are not continuous, uninterrupted bands of material.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Saturn
Publications with words: Saturn
See also:
- APOD: 2025 April 30 B A Happy Sky over Bufa Hill in Mexico
- APOD: 2025 February 23 B Saturn in Infrared from Cassini
- APOD: 2024 December 8 B Aurora around Saturns North Pole
- Saturn at Night
- APOD: 2024 August 27 B Moon Eclipses Saturn
- APOD: 2024 June 23 B The Colors of Saturn from Cassini
- A Season of Saturn