Infrared Ring Around Saturn

Ssc2009-19a
spitzer_ssc2009-19a October 6, 2009

Creator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/2766-ssc2009-19a-Infrared-Ring-Around-Saturn

This diagram highlights a slice of Saturn's largest ring. The ring (red band in inset photo) was discovered by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, which detected infrared light, or heat, from the dusty ring material. Spitzer viewed the ring edge-on from its Earth-trailing orbit around the sun.

The ring has a diameter equivalent to 300 Saturns lined up side to side. And it's thick too -- about 20 Saturns could fit into its vertical height. The ring is tilted about 27 degrees from Saturn's main ring plane.

The Spitzer data were taken by its multiband imaging photometer and show infrared light with a wavelength of 24 microns.

The picture of Saturn was taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.

Image Use Policy: Public Domain

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Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Saturn
Subject - Solar System
Planet » Ring
Planet » Type » Gas Giant

Position Details

Ssc2009-19a
Position (ICRS)
RA = 11h 39m 39.4s
DEC = 4° 27’ 22.3”
Orientation
North is 23.0° CW
Field of View
7.9 x 14.8 arcminutes
Constellation
Virgo

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Arrow_left_pseudocolor Spitzer (MIPS) Infrared (Mid-IR) 24.0 µm
Spectrum_ir1
Arrow_top_pseudocolor