Scientific Image· Cassini–Huygens
Saturn — The Day the Earth Smiled
Image ArchivePublic Domain
Saturn backlit by the Sun, its rings glowing, with a tiny bright point of light that is Earth in the distance.
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Caption: Saturn backlit by the Sun, with Earth visible as a distant point of light — Cassini's 'The Day the Earth Smiled'.
Scientific context
A backlit mosaic of Saturn's rings captured while the Sun was eclipsed by the planet, revealing faint outer rings and, far beyond, the Earth.
Subject & instruments
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Source & references
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.