Cassini rendezvous with Saturn's moons

Iapetus
Iapetus is one of Saturn’s most mysterious moons: this icy moon with a diameter of 1468 kilometres presents the observer with two hemispheres that have developed in completely different ways. The hemisphere facing the opposite direction of the moon’s orbit around Saturn, the so-called 'trailing side', as well as the polar areas, consist of white ice and reflect the light of the Sun almost 100 percent; on the surface of the hemisphere facing the direction of orbit, the so-called 'leading side', however, carbon compounds cover the ice – cyanide and other carbon compounds make the surface as black as tar. This false-colour image shows the first mosaic of high-resolution image data from bright side of Iapetus; it consists of 60 separate images, which were recorded in September 2007 from a distance of 73 000 kilometres. This flyby had been planned in great detail by staff members of the Freie Universität Berlin and DLR. The transition zone between both extremes is especially interesting. Decisive explanatory information about the cause of Iapetus’ strange characteristics has been provided not only by the image data from Cassini, but also through observations performed with NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Beyond the orbit of Iapetus, Saturn is surrounded by a giant torus of tiny, dark dust particles, inclined at 27 degrees to the equator and the main ring plane. The particles originate from impacts on the small moons of Saturn that orbit further out than Iapetus, such as Phoebe, whose orbit lies in the middle of the torus. The density of the particles is extremely low, yet high enough for some of the small particles that migrate towards the interior of the Saturn system are attracted by the leading side of Iapetus and, over a long periodof time, have been collected and compacted into a thin, black layer.
Credit:
NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
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Flyby	Moon	Date	Altitude (km)	Flyby speed (km/sec)	Phase-angle (deg)	Part of mission
0	Phoebe	11.06.2004	2,068	6.4	24	pre-arrival
A	Titan	26.10.2004	1,174	6.1	91	Saturn Orbit Insertion (SOI)
B	Titan	13.12.2004	1,192	6.1	102	SOI
B	Huygens Probe Release	24.12.2004	n/a	n/a	n/a	SOI
C	Iapetus	01.01.2005	65,000	2.0	94	SOI
C	Titan	14.01.2005	60,003	5.4	93	SOI
3	Titan	15.02.2005	1,579	6.0	99	nominal
4	Enceladus	09.03.2005	497	6.6	43	nominal
5	Titan	31.03.2005	2,404	5.9	66	nominal
6	Titan	16.04.2005	1,027	6.1	127	nominal
11	Enceladus	14.07.2005	166	8.2	64	nominal
13	Titan	22.08.2005	3,660	5.9	44	nominal
14	Titan	07.09.2005	1,075	6.1	85	nominal
15	Tethys	24.09.2005	1,495	9.0	68	nominal
15	Hyperion	26.09.2005	479	5.6	48	nominal
16	Dione	11.10.2005	499	9.1	66	nominal
17	Titan	28.10.2005	1,353	5.9	105	nominal
18	Rhea	26.11.2005	504	7.3	87	nominal
19	Titan	26.12.2005	10,411	5.6	67	nominal
20	Titan	13.01.2006	1,000	6.0	53	nominal
21	Titan	15.01.2006	2,043	5.8	120	nominal
22	Titan	29.01.2006	2,631	5.8	72	nominal
23	Titan	27.02.2006	1,812	5.9	92	nominal
24	Titan	19.03.2006	1,949	5.8	148	nominal
25	Titan	30.04.2006	1,855	5.8	121	nominal
26	Titan	20.05.2006	1,879	5.8	163	nominal
27	Titan	02.07.2006	1,905	5.8	148	nominal
28	Titan	22.07.2006	949	6.0	105	nominal
28	Titan	07.09.2006	1,000	6.0	45	nominal
29	Titan	23.09.2006	960	6.0	90	nominal
30	Titan	09.10.2006	980	6.0	81	nominal
31	Titan	25.10.2006	1,030	6.0	25	nominal
35	Titan	12.12.2006	1,000	5.9	125	nominal
36	Titan	28.12.2006	1,296	5.9	62	nominal
37	Titan	22.02.2007	1,000	6.2	161	nominal
38	Titan	10.03.2007	981	6.2	150	nominal
39	Titan	26.03.2007	1,010	6.2	144	nominal
40	Titan	10.04.2007	991	6.2	137	nominal
41	Titan	26.04.2007	981	6.5	130	nominal
42	Titan	12.05.2007	959	6.2	122	nominal
43	Titan	28.05.2007	2,299	6.1	114	nominal
44	Titan	13.06.2007	965	6.2	107	nominal
45	Titan	29.06.2007	1,933	6.2	96	nominal
46	Titan	19.07.2007	1,332	6.2	34	nominal
47	Titan	31.08.2007	3,324	3.1	87	nominal
49	Iapetus	10.09.2007	1,622	2.4	59	nominal
50	Titan	02.10.2007	973	6.3	67	nominal
52	Titan	19.11.2007	999	6.3	51	nominal
53	Titan	05.12.2007	1,295	6.3	70	nominal
54	Titan	20.12.2007	970	6.3	61	nominal
55	Titan	05.01.2008	1,014	6.3	38	nominal
59	Titan	22.02.2008	1,000	6.3	30	nominal
61	Enceladus	12.03.2008	48	14.4	137	nominal
62	Titan	25.03.2008	999	999	21	nominal
67	Titan	12.05.2008	1,001	6.3	36	nominal
69	Titan	28.05.2008	1,400	6.3	21	nominal
78	Titan	31.07.2008	1,614	6.2	49	extended Equinox
80	Enceladus	11.08.2008	49	17.7	110	extended Equinox
88	Enceladus	09.10.2008	25	17.7	113	extended Equinox
91	Enceladus	31.10.2008	169	17.7	110	extended Equinox
91	Titan	03.11.2008	1,105	6.3	171	extended Equinox
93	Titan	19.11.2008	1,023	6.3	28	extended Equinox
95	Titan	05.12.2008	961	6.3	25	extended Equinox
97	Titan	21.12.2008	971	6.3	83	extended Equinox
102	Titan	07.02.2009	967	6.3	136	extended Equinox
103	Titan	21.03.2009	966	6.0	142	extended Equinox
106	Titan	27.03.2009	963	6.3	84	extended Equinox
108	Titan	04.04.2009	4,147	5.8	151	extended Equinox
109	Titan	20.04.2009	3,599	5.8	149	extended Equinox
110	Titan	05.05.2009	3,242	5.8	146	extended Equinox
111	Titan	06.06.2009	968	6.0	135	extended Equinox
112	Titan	22.06.2009	955	6.0	128	extended Equinox
113	Titan	08.07.2009	965	6.0	120	extended Equinox
114	Titan	24.07.2009	955	6.0	112	extended Equinox
115	Titan	09.08.2009	970	6.0	104	extended Equinox
116	Titan	25.08.2009	970	6.0	86	extended Equinox
119	Titan	12.10.2009	1,300	6.0	99	extended Equinox
120	Enceladus	02.11.2009	99	7.7	90	extended Equinox
121	Enceladus	21.11.2009	1,602	7.8	87	extended Equinox
130	Enceladus	28.04.2010	99	6.5	93	extended Equinox
131	Enceladus	18.05.2010	434	6.5	114	extended Equinox
131	Titan	20.05.2010	1,400	5.9	112	extended Equinox
132	Titan	05.06.2010	2,044	5.8	87	extended Equinox
133	Titan	07.06.2010	1,005	5.9	82	extended Equinox
134	Titan	21.06.2010	880	5.9	82	extended Equinox
136	Enceladus	13.08.2010	2,550	6.8	85	extended Equinox
138	Titan	24.09.2010	8,175	5.7	60	extended Equinox
140	Titan	11.11.2010	7,921	5.6	121	extended Equinox
141	Enceladus	30.11.2010	48	6.3	78	extended Equinox
142	Enceladus	21.12.2010	48	6.2	89	extended Equinox
143	Rhea	11.01.2011	76	8.0	101	Solstice Mission
145	Titan	18.02.2011	3,651	5.8	62	Solstice Mission
147	Titan	19.04.2011	10,053	5.6	101	Solstice Mission
148	Titan	08.05.2011	1,873	5.9	47	Solstice Mission
149	Titan	20.06.2011	1,359	5.9	73	Solstice Mission
153	Titan	12.09.2011	5,822	5.8	5.8	Solstice Mission
154	Enceladus	01.10.2011	99	7.4	102	Solstice Mission
155	Enceladus	19.10.2011	1,230	7.5	118	Solstice Mission
156	Enceladus	06.11.2011	496	7.4	74	Solstice Mission
158	Dione	12.12.2011	99	8.7	49	Solstice Mission
158	Titan	13.12.2011	3,586	5.8	100	Solstice Mission
159 Titan	Titan	02.01.2012	29,415	5.5	76	Solstice Mission
160	Titan	30.01.2012	31,131	5.4	96	Solstice Mission
161	Titan	19.02.2012	3.803	5.8	143	Solstice Mission
163	Enceladus	27.03.2012	74	7.5	105	Solstice Mission
164	Enceladus	14.04.2012	74	7.5	104	Solstice Mission
165	Enceladus	02.05.2012	74	7.5	100	Solstice Mission
166	Titan	22.05.2012	955	5.9	71	Solstice Mission
167	Titan	07.06.2012	959	5.9	75	Solstice Mission
169	Titan	24.07.2012	1,012	5.9	58	Solstice Mission
172	Titan	26.09.2012	956	5.9	47	Solstice Mission
174	Titan	13.11.2012	973	5.9	68	Solstice Mission
175	Titan	29.11.2012	1,014	5.9	44	Solstice Mission
181	Titan	17.02.2013	1,978	5.8	35	Solstice Mission
183	Rhea	09.03.2013	997	9.3	138	Solstice Mission
185	Titan	05.04.2013	1,400	5.8	69	Solstice Mission
190	Titan	13.05.2013	970	5.9	50	Solstice Mission
194	Titan	10.07.2013	964	5.9	46	Solstice Mission
195	Titan	26.07.2013	1,400	5.8	58	Solstice Mission
197	Titan	12.09.2013	1,400	5.8	21	Solstice Mission
198 Titan	Titan	14.10.2013	961	5.9	25	Solstice Mission
199	Titan	01.12.2013	1,400	5.8	50	Solstice Mission
200	Titan	01.01.2014	1,400	5.8	35	Solstice Mission
201	Titan	02.02.2014	1,236	5.9	44	Solstice Mission
202	Titan	06.03.2014	1,500	5.8	53	Solstice Mission
203	Titan	07.04.2014	963	5.9	60	Solstice Mission
204	Titan	17.05.2014	2,993	5.7	158	Solstice Mission
205	Titan	18.06.2014	3,658	5.6	165	Solstice Mission
206	Titan	20.07.2014	5,103	5.6	171	Solstice Mission
207	Titan	21.08.2014	964	5.8	12	Solstice Mission
208	Titan	24.08.2014	1,013	5.8	31	Solstice Mission
209	Titan	22.09.2014	1,400	5.8	21	Solstice Mission
210	Titan	10.12.2014	980	5.8	56	Solstice Mission
211	Titan	11.01.2015	970	5.8	46	Solstice Mission
212	Titan	12.02.2015	1,200	5.8	55	Solstice Mission
213	Titan	16.03.2015	2,275	5.7	70	Solstice Mission
215	Titan	07.05.2015	2,722	5.7	34	Solstice Mission
217	Dione	16.06.2015	516	7.3	58	Solstice Mission
218	Titan	07.07.2015	10,953	5.6	78	Solstice Mission
220	Dione	17.08.2015	473	6.4	67	Solstice Mission
222	Titan	28.09.2015	1,839	8.5	63	Solstice Mission
223	Enceladus	14.10.2015	1,839	8.5	63	Solstice Mission
224	Enceladus	28.10.2015	49	8.5	118	Solstice Mission
225	Titan	13.11.2015	11,920	5.5	92	Solstice Mission
228	Enceladus	19.12.2015	4,999	9.5	114	Solstice Mission
230	Titan	16.01.2016	3,818	5.7	99	Solstice Mission
231	Titan	01.02.2016	1,400	5.8	120	Solstice Mission
232	Titan	16.02.2016	1,018	5.9	122	Solstice Mission
234	Titan	04.04.2016	990	5.9	138	Solstice Mission
235	Titan	06.05.2016	971	5.9	138	Solstice Mission
236	Titan	07.06.2016	975	5.9	124	Solstice Mission
238	Titan	25.07.2016	976	5.9	101	Solstice Mission
239	Titan	10.08.2016	1,600	5.8	92	Solstice Mission
243	Titan	27.09.2016	1,737	5.8	88	Solstice Mission
248	Titan	14.11.2016	1,582	5.8	80	Solstice Mission
250	Titan	29.11.2016	3,223	5.7	82	Solstice Mission
270	Titan	22.04.2017	979	5.8	61	Solstice Mission

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German Aerospace Center (DLR)

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Cassini rendezvous with Saturn's moons

Contact

Elke Heinemann

Ulrich Köhler

Cassi­ni ren­dezvous with Sat­urn's moons

Contact

Elke Heinemann

Ulrich Köhler

Cassini rendezvous with Saturn's moons