Photograph Description

On December 14 2004 the Cassini spacecraft passed within 81,500 kilometres of Dione, taking a series of photographs which were combined into this mosaic. Dione is one of 34 satellites of Saturn, the Solar System’s second-largest planet. It was originally discovered by Giovanni Cassini, the 17th century astronomer after whom the Cassini spacecraft was named. Its surface is mainly composed of water ice. It has a diameter of 1118 kilometres and it orbits Saturn at a distance of around 380,000 kilometres. (Photo by Science Photo Library)