Saturn

From Images 108

Known for its bright ring system and many moons, gas giant Saturn looks strange and unfamiliar in this false-color view from the Cassini spacecraft. In fact, in this Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) mosaic the famous rings are almost invisible, seen edge-on cutting across picture center. The most striking contrast in the image is along the terminator or boundary between night and day. To the right (day side) blue-green hues are visible sunlight reflected from Saturn's cloud tops. But on the left (night side) in the absence of sunlight, the lantern-like glow of infrared radiation from the planet's warm interior silhouettes features at Saturn's deeper cloud levels. The infrared glow also shines from the broad shadows of Saturn's rings sweeping across the planet's upper hemisphere. (APOD)

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Astrologically, Saturn finally stations-direct on June 25 after going retrograde Feb. 7. When it changes direction in late June, Saturn will be 22.46 Libra and in 16th harmonic (22.30 degree aspect) to the powerful Aries point. Planets 'on' the Aries point have a greater impact on world affairs. Saturn of checks and balances is transiting Libra the Scales until Oct. 5. Generally speaking, a retrograde planet stationary-direct is like a sick person that is just starting to get well. As Saturn relates to our long-term goals and ambitions, we can finally begin to move forward, slowly but surely. Many relationships (Libra) have undergone redefinition and restructuring (Saturn) since Oct. 29, 2009, when Saturn first entered the sign of Libra.

In Greek mythology, Chronos (Saturn) is said to to be the Personification of Time.