The international Cassini spacecraft was on its way to its lowest pass yet over the south polar region of Saturn's moon Enceladus when it took this image of the impressive plumes.
The plumes are jets of water ice and vapor, mixed with organic compounds. With this flyby coming within a mere 74 km, scientists hope to learn more about the composition, density and variability of these remarkable features of Enceladus.
Photo credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
Note: For more information, see: a) Enceladus Plumes and Dione, b) Icy Moons Through Cassini's Eyes, and c) Is it Snowing Microbes on Enceladus?
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