MOON SHADOWS ON SATURN

Saturn's wide, but very thin, rings are tilted with respect to its plane of orbit around the Sun. Once every 15 years, the rings are edge-on (perpendicular) to the Sun. During those times, some of Saturn's moons can cast shadows across the rings.

This animation shows the icy moons Enceladus, Mimas, Dione, and Tethys orbiting Saturn.

Credit: E. Karkoschka (Arizona), G. Bacon (STScI)