The adventure ahead...
This image of Saturn taken on 29 October 2004 captures several phenomena of interest to scientists working on the NASA/ESA/ASI Cassini-Huygens mission.
The planet's nighttime atmosphere looms ahead - an excellent place to search for storms and lightning. Saturn's shadow stretches across the rings, which will over the next four years receive their most thorough examination since Galileo discovered them in 1610.
Just visible near lower right just inside the F ring, is the small shepherd moon Prometheus (102 kilometres across). Researchers will explore the many moons of Saturn, including special ones like Prometheus that help maintain some of the rings and gaps in this complex and dynamic system.
The Cassini-Huygens mission is a co-operative project of NASA, ESA and ASI, the Italian space agency.
Credits: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
