Eyes on Xanadu

This image taken on 24 October 2004, reveals Titan's bright 'continent-sized' terrain known as 'Xanadu'. It was acquired with the narrow-angle camera on the Cassini-Huygens Imaging Science Subsystem through a spectral filter centred at 938 nanometres, a wavelength region at which Titan's surface can be most easily detected.

Surface materials with different brightness properties (or albedos) rather than topographic shading are highlighted. The image has been calibrated and slightly enhanced for contrast. It will be further processed to reduce atmospheric blurring and to optimize mapping of surface features. The origin and geography of Xanadu remain mysteries at this range. Bright features near the south pole (bottom) are clouds.