Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                 2026 May 2
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                                Seeing Titan
      Image Credit: VIMS Team, [3]Univ. Arizona, [4]U. Nantes, [5]ESA,
                                   [6]NASA

   Explanation: Shrouded in a thick atmosphere, the surface of [7]Saturn's
   largest moon, Titan, is really hard to see. Small particles suspended
   in Titan's upper atmosphere cause an almost impenetrable haze, strongly
   scattering light at visible wavelengths and hiding surface features
   from prying eyes. Still, Titan's [8]surface is better imaged at
   infrared wavelengths, where scattering is weaker and atmospheric
   absorption is reduced. Arrayed around this visible light image (center)
   of Titan are some of the clearest global infrared views of the
   [9]tantalizing moon so far. In false color, [10]the six panels present
   a consistent processing of 13 years of infrared image data from the
   Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) on board [11]the
   Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn from 2004 to 2017. They offer a
   stunning comparison with Cassini's visible light view. [12]NASA's
   revolutionary rotorcraft mission to Titan's surface is due to launch no
   earlier than July, 2028.

                   Tomorrow's picture: going interstellar
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    Authors & editors: [24]Robert Nemiroff ([25]MTU) & [26]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([27]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [28]Specific rights apply.
            [29]NASA Web Privacy, [30]Accessibility, [31]Notices;
                A service of: [32]ASD at [33]NASA / [34]GSFC,
                         [35]NASA Science Activation
                           & [36]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2605/PIA21923_fig1SeeingTitan2400.jpg
   3. https://lpl.arizona.edu/missions/cassini
   4. https://www.univ-nantes.fr/
   5. https://www.esa.int/
   6. https://www.nasa.gov/
   7. https://science.nasa.gov/saturn/moons/titan/facts/
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150116.html
   9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap140919.html
  10. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21923
  11. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/cassini/
  12. https://www.nasa.gov/dragonfly
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260501.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  17. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  19. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  22. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260502
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260503.html
  24. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  25. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  27. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  29. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  30. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  32. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  33. https://www.nasa.gov/
  34. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  35. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  36. http://www.mtu.edu/