Astronomy Picture of the Day . ... Credit Copyright: Cassini Imaging Team , ISS , JPL , ESA , NASA Explanation: What's creating those dark bands on Saturn? ... That large orb on the left must be Saturn itself. ... The dark band running diagonally must be the shadow of Saturn on the rings. That leaves the unusual dark bands superposed on Saturn's disk -- are they the shadows of the rings? ... These rings segments appear dark because they are in the shadow of Saturn . ... NASA Official: Jay Norris. ...