Probing different depths

These two images, taken at about the same time, demonstrate the amazing ability of Cassini-Huygens's cameras to probe the different layers in Saturn's atmosphere.

While many basic details in the atmosphere are present in both images, a number of subtle details are different. Flecks of bright cloud and a few dark ovals can be seen in the image at left, while at right the contrast between the swirling light and dark bands is most apparent.

The image at left was obtained using a filter sensitive to wavelengths of infrared light centred at 938 nanometres. The image at right is a view taken using a filter centred at 889 nanometres, where methane is most absorbing.

The images were taken with the NASA/ESA/ASI Cassini-Huygens spacecraft narrow-angle camera on 24 July 2004, at a distance of 6.9 million kilometres from Saturn. The image scale is 41 kilometres per pixel. Contrast was slightly enhanced to bring out features in the atmosphere.