Photograph Description

The Cassini space probe beamed back this image on 8 March 2004 as it approached Saturn. The planet and its rings are lit up by the distant Sun and Saturn’s shadow is seen on the rings at left. Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun, orbiting at a distance of around 1500 million kilometres. It is over 120,000 kilometres across, occupying a volume equivalent to 800 Earths. It is a gas giant and is mostly hydrogen and helium. The ring system is thought to be formed from a moon that broke up. Cassini took this image when it was 56.4 million kilometres from Saturn. It is expected to arrive at Saturn in July 2004. (Photo by Science Photo Library)