NicerAPOD

Pandora Close-up at Saturn

Pandora Close-up at Saturn

What do the craters of Saturn's small moon Pandora look like up close? To help find out, NASA sent the robotic Cassini spacecraft , now orbiting Saturn, past the unusual moon two weeks ago. The highest resolution image of Pandora ever taken was then captured from about 40,000 kilometers out and is featured here . Structures as small as 300 meters can be discerned on 80-kilometer wide Pandora . Craters on Pandora appear to be covered over by some sort of material, providing a more smooth appearance than sponge-like Hyperion , another small moon of Saturn . Curious grooves and ridges also appear to cross the surface of the small moon. Pandora is partly interesting because, along with its companion moon Prometheus , it helps shepherd the particles of Saturn's F ring into a distinct ring.

Media Credits & Attribution