Скачать или смотреть A Moon of Stark Contrasts

Iapetus, one of Saturn's many moons, stands out in the cosmic tapestry for its intriguing and enigmatic characteristics. Named after the Titan Iapetus from Greek mythology, this moon is renowned for its stark color dichotomy, resembling a celestial yin and yang. The leading hemisphere boasts a bright, icy surface, while the trailing side is shrouded in darkness, absorbing sunlight and giving Iapetus a distinct two-toned appearance. The Cassini spacecraft, which studied Saturn's system, provided valuable insights into the moon's unusual equatorial ridge, a towering mountain range that encircles its equator and adds to its mystique.