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Space Telescope Science Inst. (spacetelescope@astrodon.social)'s status on Wednesday, 05-Jul-2023 17:29:39 UTC Space Telescope Science Inst.

The *original* ringed planet reigns supreme with #NASAWebb.
#Saturn appears dark in this image because methane gas absorbs almost all the sunlight falling on the atmosphere at this infrared wavelength. But its iconic rings are brilliantly bright: https://webbtelescope.pub/44nXE2p
In conversation Wednesday, 05-Jul-2023 17:29:39 UTC from astrodon.social permalink
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1. The background is mostly dark. At the center is a dark orange-brownish circle, surrounded by several blazing bright, thick, horizontal whiteish rings. This is Saturn and its rings. There are three tiny organ-like dots in the image—one to the upper left of the planet, one to the direct left of the planet, and the lower left of the planet. They are labeled Dione, Enceladus, and Tethys. There is a slightly darker tint at the northern and southern poles of the planet. The rings surrounding Saturn are mostly broad, with a few singular narrow gaps between the broader rings. At the right side of the planet, labels are applied to the rings. The innermost, thicker ring is labeled “C ring.” Next to that, a brighter, wider ring is labeled “B ring.” Traveling farther outward, a small dark gap is labeled “Cassini division” before another thicker ring labeled “A ring.” Within the “A ring,” a narrow faint band is labeled “Encke gap.” The outermost, faintest, thinnest ring is labeled “F ring.”
  https://cdn.masto.host/astrodonsocial/media_attachments/files/110/662/533/017/416/077/original/3e7bc9c1fd7aa90b.jpeg
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