Saturn and its moons

NASA's Cassini spacecraft has spotted mysterious reddish streaks on the surface of Saturn's icy moon Tethys. The red streaks are only a few miles wide but several hundred miles long. The images were taken in April. Scientists aren't sure what's causing the streaks.

Saturn and its moons

This mosaic of Saturn's moon Mimas was created from images taken by Cassini in February 2010. A recent study indicates the moon may contain a liquid water ocean.

Saturn and its moons

Cassini glided high above Saturn in October 2013 to capture this 36-image mosaic of the ringed planet. The colors of the planet appear natural, just as the human eye would see them.

Saturn and its moons

Plumes of water ice and vapor shoot up from the surface of Saturn's moon Enceladus in this two-image mosaic taken by Cassini in November 2009. Analysis by NASA scientists indicated that water can reach the Saturnian moon's surface.

Saturn and its moons

A small, bright blip can be seen on the outermost edge of Saturn's rings in this image taken in April 2013. The bump in the smooth ring structure is an icy object that could provide clues to how Saturn's moons formed.

Saturn and its moons

This false-color image of Saturn's north polar storm looks like a giant red rose surrounded by green foliage. Measurements indicate the storm's eye is a staggering 1,250 miles across with cloud swirling as fast as 330 mph.

Saturn and its moons

Saturn's rings cast a narrow shadow on its surface in this image taken in August 2009.

Saturn and its moons

The scars of time and space mark the surface of Saturn's moon Enceladus. Saturn has at least 62 moons in its orbit.

Saturn and its moons

The Saturn-facing side of Enceladus is illuminated by light bouncing off the planet. Plumes of water ice can be seen streaming off the moon's southern pole.

Saturn and its moons

Saturn's moon Rhea is seen from approximately 174,181 miles away in this March 2013 image.

Saturn and its moons

Rhea's surface is pockmarked with craters from billions of years of impacts. The moon is Saturn's second-largest, with a diameter of 949 miles.

Saturn and its moons

Saturn's largest moon, Titan, has a diameter of 3,200 miles. It looks like a fuzzy orange ball because of its atmosphere.

Saturn and its moons

Though it's the largest moon orbiting Saturn, Titan is dwarfed by Saturn itself.

Saturn and its moons

Saturn has a small moon called Dione orbiting about 234,000 miles away. That's about the same distance Earth is from its moon.

Saturn and its moons

The surface of Dione is seen in this May 2012 image.

Saturn and its moons

Tethys, top left, is dwarfed by Saturn as it orbits the planet, though scientists think the moon is much larger than Saturn's ring system.

Saturn and its moons

The Odysseus Crater spans 280 miles across the northern hemisphere of Tethys.