Cassini sends back 1st images from new orbit around Saturn

I just love this stuff! Saturn always intrigued me! even more than Uranus !  (had to)

link to article

"NASA's Cassini spacecraft has sent back stunning close-up images of Saturn from its new orbit.  The spacecraft, which has been at Saturn since 2004, recently entered a new ring-grazing orbit around the planet.  While in its new territory, Cassini will study the rings — which extend up to 282,000 kilometres from the planet and
range in size from small grains to a few as big as mountains — in unprecedented detail. 

The new images of Saturn's northern hemisphere were taken on Dec. 2-3, just before the spacecraft was set to buzz past the rings. Cassini will pass the outer rings on Dec. 11 and continue to do so until April 22.  Featured prominently in the new images is the planet's hexagonal polar storm, believed to be caused by a jet
stream in its upper atmosphere. 

Finally, on Sept. 15, it will plunge into Saturn. As it does so, it will transmit valuable data back to Earth about the planet's atmosphere.  The death dive into the planet is
to ensure that it doesn't crash into moons such as Enceladus or Titan, which could potentially harbour microbial life."

Awesome!!!  I can wait to see the next pictures that are sent back!