Called 'the most beautiful photograph ever taken'

[cthulu2016]

This image got tagged in the press as the most beautiful photo ever when it was released in 2006. I don't know about that, but it may be the trippiest! Either way, it's something special. Photo taken by the Cassini probe from 'behind' Saturn, with Saturn blocking the sun.



(If you look on the left side, just inside the ring second furthest from saturn, there are two faint reddish lines. Between those lines there is a tiny dot just touching the ring. That's Earth.)


I have a prefernece for "shadow on the rings" pictures, but when we consider that the Cassini photo could only be taken from outside Saturn's orbit... it's impressive.

[Brickbat]

1. Is there a link to a bigger photo?

[Xithras]

7. Here's a link to the original NASA page with info on the photo

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA08329

As you'll see, the photo has been digitally enhanced a bit.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

27. Hey thanks!

I now have a new desk top background!

[Blue_Tires]

8. a couple quick links

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1900640

http://www.democraticunderground.com/122813528

http://www.universetoday.com/99073/gorgeous-new-backlit-view-of-saturn/

[pinboy3niner]

12. Larger image here:

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap061016.html

[bigwillq]

2. It's nice.

Not sure about most beautiful ever.

[NWmomma]

3. here's a link

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/143884-how-nasa-drives-mars-rover-curiosity

[The Straight Story]

4. I think I also see Mork from Ork passing by in his egg

[napkinz]

31. didn't Mork get pregnant in an episode and have a baby played

by Jonathan Winters?

I wonder how the right-wing nuts reacted to that episode.

(I remember when Dan Quayle launched into a tirade over Murphy Brown having a baby out of wedlock.)

[Liberal_in_LA]

34. yes, Mork's people are born old and grow younger.

[Rex]

5. Pretty for a big ball of gas.

nt.

[Common Sense Party]

11. That's what people say about me. n/t

[Rex]

15. I was thinking of Rushbo

And how some big balls of gas are ugly and mean.

[kentauros]

6. That depends on taste.

It is a beautiful image. However, I prefer images with some terrestrial life in them, such as this one:

[1monster]

28. Funny... I had just changed my wallpaper to this image about fifteen minutes before

seeing your post. GMTA

[kentauros]

32. I recently changed my work-wallpaper to that image

from another nighttime image of a geyser and aurora

It's so nice to get away from all the light-pollution and see the Milky Way, although I've never seen it in that kind of splendor and color!

[1monster]

37. When I was a kid, we lived way out in farm country. The nearest neighbors were

nearly a mile away. There were billions and billions of stars visable in the night sky. The most my son has ever seen is somewhere around fifty. We can see Orion's Belt, Venus, Mars, sometimes Jupiter, and on occasion I can pick out Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, along with a few other stars I don't know.

And the moon was so bright that more often than I should have, I read by the light of the moon late at night after bed time... (Perhaps that's why, out of all my family, I'm the only one who is near-sighted?)

Someday, I'm going to take my son somewhere that he can see the glory of the heavens, 'cause since he's never experience it, he has no idea.

[kentauros]

38. See if there are any astronomy clubs in your area.

Sometimes they go on "excursions" usually to state parks where they've got some open sky away from the city

My parents live out in the country west of Austin, and I know what you're talking about with seeing the whole sky or how bright the moon can be. I've taken some good nighttime photos that way.

[ismnotwasm]

9. It's has a perfection to it

I don't know much about photography, but it is certainly beautiful

[Warren DeMontague]

13. That is an amazing shot.

Thanks to the amazing folks at JPL.

[tridim]

14. I like Saturn from the top too..

It's my favorite unexplained hexagon in the solar system.

[Robb]

16. Nature loves hexagons!

Cool.

[Trailrider1951]

36. Could be due to ice crystals, maybe

Water crystallizes in the hexagonal crystal system....
http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/


Methane is abundant in gas giants, and although it crystallizes in the isometric or cubic crystal system, may under some conditions, exhibit a pseudo-hexagonal face or two.....
http://www.google.com/search?q=methane+crystal+structure&hl=en&tbo=u&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=4KkRUZmtE4beqAHip4HQAw&ved=0CEoQsAQ&biw=1134&bih=554

jus' speculatin...

[kentauros]

39. Are you sure that's not from

CakeWrecks.com?

Yes, I've seen that photo of Saturn, too. But still, it does look like a frosting failure

[workinclasszero]

17. Thats nice but I like Ansel Adams pics better nt

[Arkansas Granny]

18. Those are both beautiful, however my favorite has always been "Earthrise".

[Hekate]

20. Home, sweet home

No borders, no boundaries....

[LeftInTX]

22. My favorite space photo too

It says soooo much

[SeattleVet]

23. I bought that as a wall mural several years ago

and I'll soon be putting it on the back wall of the garage, so when you drive in it looks like you're going across the moonscape.

[Buzz Clik]

19. Hey! I can see my house. Whose dog is that crapping on my lawn?

Must be Pluto.

[Auntie Bush]

26. Maybe it's mine! I have her well trained!

[hootinholler]

21. Damn did Colbert use the pac money to set up the second pic? n/t

[PotatoChip]

24. I likey!

Makes for a very slick- looking desktop wallpaper background thingy too.

[napkinz]

25. if you're a Rethug, this is the most beautiful photograph ever taken ...

[William769]

29. Recommended.

[kenny blankenship]

30. Got that beat by a million light years

[Sadiedog]

35. Wonderful!

[derby378]

33. Awww, I think I'm gonna cry now...

That is so beautiful. Humanity is so lucky that we have the collective brainpower to lauch a probe into space to capture that image for us.

[REP]

40. Thanks for the images and links

Simply amazing.