NASA. CASSINI Mission. Photograph of Saturn's moon Enceladus - Lot 209

NASA. CASSINI Mission. Photograph of Saturn's moon Enceladus, backlit by the Sun. This image shows the south polar region of Saturn's moon Enceladus, where icy jets shoot water vapor and ice particles into space. These jets originate from fractures near the South Pole, known as "tiger stripes". Fountain-like springs can be seen in the fine haze of matter that dominates the south polar region. It shows discrete plumes of varying apparent sizes above the moon's limb. The image, heavily enhanced and colorized, reveals the considerable extent of the fainter, larger-scale component of the plume. As reported in Science magazine on March 10, 2006, imaging specialists believe that the jets are geysers gushing out of pressurized underground reservoirs of liquid water at temperatures above 0 degrees Celsius. 2006. Vintage chromogenic print. Numbering on front. Label on back. 20.4 x 25.5cm with margins.