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Enceladus Flyby – July 14, 2005



On July 14, the Cassini spacecraft conducted its closest flyby yet, coming within 175 kilometers (109 miles) from the surface of the wrinkled, icy moon, Enceladus.

During Cassini's first flyby of Enceladus, a tenuous atmosphere was detected in magnetic field data, which may imply internal activity. This atmosphere may help explain the source of Saturn's outermost E ring.

The icy surface of Enceladus appears to have similarities to both Europa and Ganymede -- two prominent icy satellites of Jupiter. Both Europa and Ganymede are thought to have subsurface water layers or "oceans," so the similarities with Enceladus are intriguing.

Enceladus at a Glance
Enceladus Flyby

Jul. 14, 2005

Distance
172 km (107 miles)

Speed
8.2 km/sec (18,343 mph)

+ Enceladus Image Gallery

+ Saturn's Moons

LATEST FLYBY IMAGES AND VIDEOS

Enceladus: The Plot Thickens
Enceladus: Global Patterns of Fracture (Southern Polar Projection)
Enceladus: North and South (Southern Polar Projection)
Enceladus: North and South (Northern Polar Projection)

Related videos will appear here as they come in.

» View All Flyby Images and Videos]

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