VERY high resolution Cassini photos?

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SUMMARY

The native resolution of Cassini's Imaging Science Subsystem cameras includes the Wide Angle Camera (ISS-WAC) and the Narrow Angle Camera (ISS-NAC), both producing images at 1024 by 1024 pixels. For high-resolution images suitable for prints, users can access full-resolution TIFFs on the JPL website. The Narrow Angle Camera achieves a resolution of 6 meters per pixel when positioned 1000 km from the target. The cameras utilize a combination of 23 filters for the NAC and 17 for the WAC, allowing for extensive color imaging capabilities.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Cassini's Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS)
  • Familiarity with image resolution concepts
  • Knowledge of TIFF file formats
  • Basic comprehension of optical remote sensing instruments
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore the JPL website for full-resolution TIFF images of Cassini's captures
  • Research the capabilities of the Narrow Angle Camera (ISS-NAC) in detail
  • Learn about the various filters used in Cassini's imaging systems
  • Investigate the implications of distance on camera resolution in space missions
USEFUL FOR

Astronomers, space enthusiasts, photographers interested in high-resolution space imagery, and researchers studying planetary science.

chroot
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Does anyone know what the native resolution of Cassini's various cameras are? I'm looking for VERY high resolution (> 3 megapixel) versions of images like the one below, suitable for producing a good 5x7 or even 8x10 print. Anyone have any links to such high-res photos?

- Warren
 

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chroot said:
Does anyone know what the native resolution of Cassini's various cameras are? I'm looking for VERY high resolution (> 3 megapixel) versions of images like the one below, suitable for producing a good 5x7 or even 8x10 print. Anyone have any links to such high-res photos?

- Warren
Did you look through the full res TIFFs on the JPL site?
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/index.cfm

Here is some info I found on the cameras:
The Imaging Science Subsystem consists of two cameras, a Wide Angle Camera (ISS-WAC) and a Narrow Angle Camera (ISS-NAC). Both cameras produce images 1024 by 1024 pixels in size. Each camera is equipped with a pair of filter wheels that give the cameras excellent color vision: 23 different filters for the Narrow Angle and 17 for the Wide Angle Camera, spanning wavelengths of light from the ultraviolet to the near-infrared. Because the filters are on two overlapping filter wheels, filters can be combined to yield a great many more effective filter combinations (about 100 for the NAC and about 50 for the WAC).

The Wide Angle Camera will provide context images for all of the other optical remote sensing instruments. The Narrow Angle Camera will be used for high-resolution studies.

The ISS cameras are affixed to Cassini's Remote Sensing Pallet. The Remote Sensing Pallet also contains the CIRS, VIMS, and UVIS instruments. In order for ISS to capture images, the Cassini spacecraft must rotate to point the Remote Sensing Pallet to a target. Consequently, whenever ISS captures an image of a target, the other three Optical Remote Sensing instruments are also pointed in the same direction and can study the same target. This is both a strength and a weakness: a strength, because there is no question that the whole instrument suite is focused on exactly the same spot, and a weakness, because the four instruments cannot operate independently. The four instrument teams cooperate in planning their science observations.

The resolution of the cameras depends upon their distance from the target. When Cassini is 1000 km from her target, the Narrow Angle Camera will achieve a resolution of 6 meters per pixel.
 
Click on images from the webpage MIH gives a link to, follow, the links, and you will come to pages like this. Surfing around within these sorts of pages will get you just about anything you ever wanted to know about Cassini (not to mention access to GB or even TB of processed data).
 

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