Astronomy, features and articles | Educational Science

Oct 18, 2013

Spectacular Photo of Saturn's Rings Created by Amateur Astronomer

An amazing new view of Saturn, created by amateur image processer Gordan Ugarkovic, shows the planet and its rings in all their glory. Ugarkovic, a Croatian computer programmer, assembled the incredible image from 36 shots snapped by the Cassini spacecraft on Oct. 10. He combined a dozen each of red,...

Oct 25, 2013

Saturn's Faintest Rings Shine in New NASA Photos

The mesmerizing rings of Saturn glimmer in a series of new photos that illuminate parts of the planet that normally appear darkened. NASA's Cassini spacecraft captured the new infrared images, which offer unique views of Saturn's dark side, and the planet's signature rings, bathed from behind in the sun's light....

Oct 25, 2013

Spring on Saturn's Moon Titan Reveals Amazing Views of Otherworldly Lakes (Photos)

NASA's Cassini space probe is getting an exceptional look at the vast liquid lakes of Titan's north pole, where dense winter clouds are finally retreating thanks to a change in seasons on Saturn's largest moon. A clearer view of Titan's wet northern region could provide clues about the moon's hydrologic...

Nov 13, 2013

Saturn, Earth Shine in Amazing New Photo by NASA Probe

A NASA spacecraft has revealed an unprecedented view of Saturn from space, showing the entire gas giant backlit by the sun with several of its moons and all but one of its rings, as Earth, Venus and Mars all appear as pinpricks light in the background. The spectacular image, unveiled...

Dec 5, 2013

Bizarre Saturn Vortex Swirls in Stunning New NASA Video

A NASA probe has captured an amazing video of the huge and mysterious six-sided vortex spinning around Saturn's north pole. Scientists created the new video of Saturn's vortex from 128 images snapped by NASA's Cassini spacecraft in December 2012. It's the highest-resolution movie yet obtained of the giant hexagon, which...

Dec 13, 2013

Age of Saturn's Rings Revealed

SAN FRANCISCO — Saturn's iconic rings likely formed about 4.4 billion years ago, shortly after the planet itself took shape, a new study suggests. The origin of Saturn's ring system has long been the subject of debate, with some researchers arguing that it's a relatively young structure and others holding...

Dec 19, 2013

Total Volume of Saturn Moon Titan's Otherworldly Seas Calculated

The lakes and seas on Saturn's largest moon Titan hold massive amounts of liquid hydrocarbons — 40 times more than are found in Earth's proven oil reserves, new observations by NASA's Cassini spacecraft suggest. Titan, which is about 1.5 times bigger than Earth's moon, harbors about 2,000 cubic miles (9,000...

Jan 9, 2014

Stormy Saturn | Space Wallpaper

This space wallpaper shows a set of images from NASA's Cassini mission that reveal the turbulent power of a monster Saturn storm. The visible-light image in the back, obtained on Feb. 25, 2011, by Cassini's imaging camera, shows the turbulent clouds churning across the face of Saturn. The inset infrared...

Feb 3, 2014

Strange Saturn Vortex Swirls in Amazing NASA Photo

An amazing new photo of Saturn's north pole puts the planet's odd hexagon-shaped jet stream and dazzling rings on display. NASA's Cassini spacecraft exploring Saturn and its moons snapped the photo — which NASA released today (Feb. 3) — as the probe flew 1.6 million miles (2.5 million kilometers) above...

Mar 6, 2014

Saturn Rings, Moon Shine in Dazzling New NASA Photo

A new image captured by a NASA spacecraft shows Saturn's famous rings in gorgeous detail, with one of the planet's many moons shining in the distance. The space agency's Cassini probe snapped the photo on Oct. 22, 2013, when it was about 1.6 million miles (2.6 million kilometers) from Saturn...

Mar 7, 2014

NASA Spacecraft Buzzes Saturn's Largest Moon Titan for 100th Time

A far-flung NASA space probe flying around Saturn zipped past the ringed planet's biggest moon for the 100th time on Thursday (March 6). The Cassini spacecraft made its closest approach to the hazy moon Titan at 12:45 p.m. EST on Earth (5:45 GMT), according to officials at NASA's Jet Propulsion...

Apr 9, 2014

Saturn’s Strange Vortex | Space Wallpaper

This colorful space wallpaper from NASA's Cassini mission is the highest-resolution view of the unique six-sided jet stream at Saturn's north pole known as the hexagon. Image obtained on Dec. 10, 2012 and released Dec. 4, 2013. [ Bizarre Saturn Vortex Swirls in Stunning New NASA Video - Read the...

Apr 16, 2014

NASA Photo May Show Birth of New Saturn Moon (Image)

A NASA spacecraft may have witnessed the birth of a new Saturn moon. Photographs taken by NASA's Cassini probe in April 2013 show a bright arc about 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) long and 6 miles (10 km) wide at the edge of Saturn's outermost ring (known as the A ring)....

May 9, 2014

As Saturn Slips Behind the Moon (Op-Ed)

Victor Rogus is an amateur astronomer, and this is the fifth in his series of exclusive Space.com posts about amateur astronomy. He contributed this article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. The morning of Sept. 18, 1997, I made a special effort to try and document the occultation of...

May 16, 2014

Mysterious 'Spokes' in Saturn's Rings Are Still There

There are many mysteries about the enigmatic ringed gas giant, but the curious mechanism behind Saturn’s ‘spokes’ is one of the more intriguing puzzles. And in new observations from NASA’s Cassini mission, these bright features seem to be persisting in Saturn’s darkened B ring. VIDEO: Hubble Captures Saturn’s Aurorae Observed...