Space Topics: Saturn
The Year in Pictures: 2009
Enceladus' Southern Fountains
Enceladan south polar vents and plumes
Credit: NASA / JPL / SSI / mosaic by Emily Lakdawalla
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This mosaic consists of two frames on Enceladus'
south pole, captured by Cassini during
its close flyby on November 21, 2009. Plumes issue from all four of the large "tiger
stripes" at Enceladus'
south pole -- from left to right, they trace out Alexandria, Cairo, Baghdad,
and, at the extreme right edge, Damascus sulci. Only a tiny sliver of Enceladus
is sunlit; the plumes are visible on the nightside of Enceladus where they
have reached high enough elevations to rise out of nightside shadow and receive
sunlight. For more spectacular images from the flyby, visit The Planetary
Society Blog: here, here,
and here.
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