The Cassini spacecraft snapped this view in an infrared filter to peer through Titan’s thick atmosphere and image its surface.
Atmospheric features in this view:
Titan's north polar hood is just visible in this view.
Surface features:
The darker areas are vast hydrocarbon sand dunes. You can see many other features including craters, maculae (dark spots), faculae (bright spots), and large ringed features.
This image was taken by Cassini's camera system, the Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) on April 4, 2016 and received on Earth April 5, 2016. The camera was pointing toward TITAN, and the image was taken using an infrared filter.
Credit: NASA / JPL / SSI / Val Klavans
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Tags: titan moon saturn cassini mission surface methane colorful continuum filters solar system space astronomy astrobiology planetary science nasa jpl ssi iss val valerie klavans label facula faculae maculae macula crater craters infrared orange hydrocarbon dunes sand terra senkyo aaru north polar hood fensal Fensal-Aztlan Aztlan haze hazy quivira tsegihi
This true color view of Titan was snapped by Cassini's camera system, the Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) during Cassini's Titan (T-118) Flyby.
This composite is made of images that were taken on April 5, 2016 and received on Earth April 5, 2016. The camera was pointing toward TITAN, and the images were taken using the red, green, and blue filters.
Credit: NASA / JPL / SSI / Val Klavans
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Tags: titan haze crescent ring cassini mission imaging science subsystem iss ssi nasa jpl red green blue space spacecraft solar system saturn planet Planetary Astronomy Astrobiology val valerie klavans april 5 2016
While Earthlings were celebrating a new year on their planet, Titan was celebrating Summer. (Titan reaches Summer Solstice in May 2017).
On the top is a true color image of Titan. The moon's north polar hood is barely visible in this view. The image on the bottom is a colorized view of Titan's surface. Cassini imaged Titan in the infrared to peer past its atmosphere and see its surface. The darker areas are vast hydrocarbon sand dunes. Titan’s Fensal-Aztlan region can be seen in this view. Craters Sinlap (upper right) and Menrva (upper left) are also visible here.
These views are made of images that were taken by Cassini's camera system, the Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) on December 31, 2015 and received on Earth December 31, 2015. The camera was pointing toward Titan, and the images were taken using the red, green, blue and infrared filters.
Credit: NASA / JPL / SSI / Val Klavans
about.me/valerieklavans
Tags: titan saturn cassini mission planet moon solar system planetary science space astronomy astrobiology north polar hood haze december 31 2015 new year's eve day solar system planetary science north polar hood nasa jpl ssi iss imaging science subsystem cassini mission spacecraft above below atmosphere red green blue infrared dunes Fensal-Aztlan Fensal Aztlan Menrva Sinlap val valerie klavans
This true color view of Titan was snapped by Cassini's camera system, the Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) while it was looking at Titan's haze layers from 1.42 million kilometers (0.88 million miles) away.
This composite is made of images that were taken on October 31, 2015 and received on Earth November 01, 2015. The camera was pointing toward TITAN, and the images were taken using the red, green, blue and ultraviolet filters.
Credit: NASA / JPL / SSI / Val Klavans
about.me/valerieklavans
Tags: titan haze crescent ring halloween october 31 2015 cassini cassini mission imaging science subsystem iss ssi nasa jpl red green blue ultraviolet space spacecraft solar system saturn planet Planetary planetary science science Astronomy Astrobiology val valerie klavans
This is a true color view of Saturn and its moon Titan. Titan is seen here hovering near Saturn's rings.
This composite is made of images that were taken by Cassini's camera system, the Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) on May 6, 2012 and received on Earth May 7, 2012. The camera was pointing toward TITAN at approximately 770,000 kilometers away, and the images were taken using the red, green, and blue filters.
Credit: NASA / JPL / SSI / Val Klavans
about.me/valerieklavans
Tags: titan saturn moon planet astronomy astrobiology planetary science solar system rings ring shadows clouds cloud bands space cassini mission spacecraft nasa jpl ssi may 6 7 2012 cassini mission planetary science solar system iss imaging science subsystem val valerie klavans