ESA - Space Science - Extreme space - ESA’s ‘shipping forecast’ - from Titan!

Space Science

About Space Science ESA's 'Cosmic Vision'Science & Technology in-depth

Multimedia

Science images Science videos Animations Downloads Sounds from space RSS feeds

Media centre

Press Releases Press kits ESA Television

Resources

Reference section Glossary FAQs

Science missions

Services

Help Legal disclaimer Comments Subscribe

Article Images

ESA’s ‘shipping forecast’ - from Titan!

Back to article

This narrow angle field-of-view artist's rendering shows Titan's surface with Saturn dimly in the background through Titan's thick atmosphere of methane, ethane and (mostly) nitrogen. The Cassini spacecraft flys over the surface with its high-gain antenna pointed at the Huygens probe as it reaches the surface. Thin methane clouds dot the horizon, and a narrow methane spring or 'methanefall' flows from the cliff at left and drifts mostly into vapour. Smooth ice features rise out of the methane/ethane lake, and crater walls can be seen far in the distance.

Credits: David Seal

Back to article

Download:

HI-RES JPEG (Size: 87 kb)

Cassini/Huygens is an ESA/NASA mission to the Saturnian system. Carried on NASA's Cassini Saturn orbiter, ESA's Huygens probe will explore the atmosphere of Titan, Saturn's largest moon. A few months after going into orbit around Saturn, Cassini will release Huygens for its entry and descent through Titan's atmosphere to the surface. Cassini will go on to make many close fly-bys to continue the global exploration of Titan during its nominal four-year mission.

Credits: ESA / D. Ducros

More about...

Cassini-Huygens overview

No rest on the way to the most mysterious of Saturn's moons Splashing down on Titan's oceans Challenges of landing on alien worlds ESA to search for life, but not as we know it