December 17, 2004
You were not dropped into the cosmos as a stranger. You came from it entirely: borrowed from stars, carried by Earth, warmed by the Sun, and...
Prometheus and the Rings of Saturn
Birthday · December 17, 2004
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APOD published December 17, 2004. Full image credits are on the original APOD entry below. A publication-date match, not a photo taken on your date. Independent of NASA.
In Greek Mythology, Prometheus was known for stealing fire from the gods. Ironically, in a story for more modern times Prometheus may also become known for stealing, but this time for stealing icy particles from Saturn's rings. This eerie close-up from the Cassini spacecraft shows the 100 kilometer-long Saturnian moon Prometheus orbiting near the inner edge of Saturn's F ring. The dramatic view clearly resolves the potato-shaped moon and multiple strands of the narrow F ring. It also reveals a faint strand of material connecting Prometheus with the rings. One possibility is that the tiny moon's gravity is indeed drawing off particles from the rings and is influencing the formation of the gaps and kinks seen in the ring structure.