Saturn's Polar Vortex(01 of18)
Open Image Modal (credit:Nasa)
Saturn's Polar Vortex(02 of18)
Open Image Modal (credit:Nasa)
Saturn's Polar Vortex(03 of18)
Open Image Modal (credit:Nasa)
Saturn's Polar Vortex(04 of18)
Open Image Modal (credit:Nasa)
Saturn's Polar Vortex(05 of18)
Open Image Modal (credit:Nasa)
Saturn's Polar Vortex(06 of18)
Open Image Modal (credit:Nasa)
(07 of18)
Open Image ModalADDS DROPPED WORDS IN SECOND SENTENCE--An image provided by NASA shows Saturn's largest moon Titan passing in front of the giant planet in an image made by NASA's Cassini spacecraft. The natural color view of Saturn and one of it's moons was made by Cassini's wide-angle camera on May 6, 2012 and released by NASA on Wednesday Aug. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/NASA) (credit:AP)
(08 of18)
Open Image ModalThis undated true color image by the Cassini spacecraft released by NASA shows Saturn's largest moon, Titan, passing in front of the planet and its rings. A new study released Thursday, June 28, 2012 suggests there may be an ocean below Titan's frigid surface. (AP Photo/NASA) (credit:AP)
(09 of18)
Open Image ModalThis photo made March 10, 2012, by NASA's Cassini spacecraft shows a raw, unprocessed image of Saturn's moon Rhea. The camera was pointing toward Rhea from a distance of approximately 42,096 kilometers (26,157 miles). (AP Photo/NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI) (credit:AP)
(10 of18)
Open Image ModalThis false-color mosaic provided by NASA from NASA's Cassini spacecraft shows the tail of Saturn's huge northern storm, top. The storm's 200-day active period also makes it the longest-lasting planet-encircling storm ever seen on Saturn. The previous record holder was an outburst sighted in 1903, which lingered for 150 days. The large disturbance imaged 21 years ago by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and comparable in size to the current storm lasted for only 55 days. (AP Photo/ NASA/JPL) (credit:AP)
(11 of18)
Open Image ModalNASA's Cassini spacecraft obtained this unprocessed image on Dec. 12, 2011. The camera was pointing toward Saturn's moon Dione from approximately 69,989 miles (112,636 kilometers) away. NASAs Cassini spacecraft successfully completed its closest-ever pass over Saturns moon Dione on Monday, Dec. 12, slaloming its way through the Saturn system on its way to tomorrows close flyby of Titan. (AP Photo/NASA) (credit:AP)
(12 of18)
Open Image ModalThis photo made March 10, 2012, by NASA's Cassini spacecraft shows a raw, unprocessed image of Saturn's moon Rhea. The camera was pointing toward Rhea from a distance of approximately 42,096 kilometers (26,157 miles). (AP Photo/NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI) (credit:AP)
(13 of18)
Open Image Modal** CORRECTING RELEASE TIME FOR THIS IMAGE TO 1 PM EST SUNDAY DEC. 12 ** ** HOLD FOR RELEASE UNTIL 1 PM EST SUNDAY DEC. 12, 2010 ** This image provided by NASA, taken Oct. 6, 2004, by the Cassini Saturn Probe, shows the planet Saturn and its rings. One of the most evocative mysteries of the solar system, where Saturn got its stunning rings, may actually be a case of cosmic murder with an unnamed moon of Saturn, that disappeared about 4.5 billion years ago, as the potential victim. Suspicion has fallen on a disk of hydrogen gas, that surrounded Saturn when its dozens of moons were forming, but has now fled the scene. And the cause of death? A possible forced plunge into Saturn. (AP Photo/NASA) (credit:AP)
SCIENCE Saturn 6(14 of18)
Open Image ModalHandout photo of Saturn and its rings from ESA taken March 27, 2004. Cassini-Huygens is a joint NASA European Space Agency mission which will enter Saturn's orbit on July 1, 2004 after a seven year journey. UK scientists are involved with instruments on both the Cassini orbiter and the Huygens probe. Huygens will separate and descend onto Titan, Saturn's largest moon on January 14, 2005.The See PA story SCIENCE Saturn. PA Photo: Handout/ESA (credit:PA)
SCIENCE Jupiter 1(15 of18)
Open Image ModalNasa undated handout of Jupiter with its largest moon, Ganymede. Breathtaking images of Jupiter captured by a Nasa spacecraft on its way to Saturn were made public for the first time, Friday March 7, 2003. The pictures, beamed 400 million to Earth from the American space agency s Cassini spacecraft, are being analysed by British scientists. As well as providing dramatic new views of Jupiter and its moons, they have turned at least one scientific assumption about the giant planet upside down. Cassini was launched in October 1997 on a mission to Saturn, which it should reach in July next year. It carries the European Space Agency s Huygens probe which is due to parachute down into the atmosphere of Saturn s moon Titan. The spacecraft made a fly-by of Jupiter in order to pick up speed by getting a gravitational kick from the planet. (credit:PA)
This Cassini spacecraft narrow angle cam(16 of18)
Open Image ModalSPACE, SPACE: This Cassini spacecraft narrow angle camera view released 19 August, 2004 shows Saturn's southern polar region. The dark spot at the bottom of the image marks the planet's south pole. The image was takenfrom a distance of 6.2 million kilometers (3.9 million miles) from Saturn, through a filter which lets infrared light pass through. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. AFP PHOTO/ NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute (Photo credit should read HO/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Cassini Enters Orbit Around Saturn(17 of18)
Open Image ModalJULY 1 - IN SPACE: This NASA handout photo taken by the Cassini spacecraft on July 1, 2004 shows a portion of Saturn's rings up close. Cassini is the first spacecraft to enter orbit around the ringed planet. It will spend four years gathering information on the planet and its rings and moons. (Photo by NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute via Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(18 of18)
Open Image ModalAn image provided by NASA shows Saturn's largest moon Titan passing in front of the giant planet in an image made by NASA's Cassini spacecraft. The natural color view of Saturn and one of it's moonswid-angle camera on May6, 2012 and released by NASA on Wednesday Aug. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/NASA) (credit:AP)