Daphnis: NASA's Cassini Spacecraft Captures Image Of 'Wavemaker' Saturn's Moon

NASA's Cassini spacecraft captured an image of the Saturn's moon, Daphnis, which is a 5-mile diameter chunk of rock and ice. It orbits inside a gap at the outer edge of Saturn's A ring.

In this closest view yet of Saturn’s moon Daphnis, @CassiniSaturn sees effects of the moon’s gravity on the rings: https://t.co/HOBpQqusqV pic.twitter.com/fZkxgXC5HP

— NASA (@NASA) January 22, 2017

The moon Daphnis is dubbed as "wavemaker," because the moon's gravity tugs at the edges of the gap that triggers waves vertically and horizontally in Saturn's ring. The photo was taken during Cassini's ring-grazing orbits, in which it skirts at the edge of Saturn's outer rings. This was closest and clearest image of Daphnis so far, according to Popular Mechanics.

In the image, there is a ridge around Daphnis equator. This is common with other Saturn's small ring moons, Atlas and Pan. Small craters are also visible on the surfaces of Daphnis. Its gravity causes vertical and horizontal waves to the rings. As one sees closely, there is the fine dusting of material that was stirred up when the wavemaker passed close by.

Meanwhile, the edges of the Keeler Gap appear to be much sharper. This part has not been disturbed by Daphnis. There is also a narrow wisp of ring material following behind Daphnis that might be picked up when Daphnis drew a pocket of material out of the ring.

Daphnis was first observed on May 1, 2005 by Cassini spacecraft. Cassini took photos of geysers and flowing liquid methane, among others. Then, the spacecraft began its final acts, which is the ring grazing phase. This yields up-close-and-personal shots of Saturn's moons and rings, according to Gizmodo.

Cassini spacecraft was launched on Oct. 15, 1997. It will end its 20-year mission by crashing into Saturn's atmosphere in September 2017. The image of Saturn's moon Daphnis is one of the treasures shared by Cassini spacecraft.