Saturn's Moon Tethys
Credit & Copyright: NASA,
Voyager 2,
Copyright Calvin J. Hamilton
Explanation:
Tethys is one of the larger and closer moons of
Saturn. It was visited
by both Voyager spacecraft - Voyager 1 in November 1980 and by Voyager 2 in
August 1981.
Tethys is now known to be composed almost completely of water
ice. Tethys shows a large impact crater that nearly circles the planet.
That the impact that caused this crater did not disrupt the moon is taken
as evidence that Tethys was not completely frozen in its past.
Tethys has two moons named
Telesto and
Calypso that orbit just ahead
of it and behind it. Tethys was originally discovered in 1684 by
Giovanni Cassini.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
