On this day, 20 years ago and a billion miles from here, the Cassini spacecraft had reached a point in its approach to Saturn where the planet and its rings just exactly filled the field of view of our highest resolution telescope, the narrow angle camera (NAC). From that point onward, imaging the rings end-to-end with the NAC would require a mosaic of multiple images. So, I thought back then that it would be nice to mark this special ‘last eyeful’ turning point with the release to the public of a color image.
I remember that first colour image of Jupiter, with Europa's shadow on it. I excitedly showed my colleagues in the law firm I was working in at the time. They were like, "very interesting. Maybe get back to work, though."
Thanks Carolyn for sharing this piece on color correction of space images. Relating to this,about the time I joined JPL, the Viking spacecraft had just landed on Mars, and at the inevitable news conference where the first pictures from the surface were released, the initial picture was toned so that the sky appeared blue. I believe it was Bill Hartmann, who was in the audience, raised the question, "since the sky brightness is dominated by light scattered from dust and not molecules, why is the sky blue and not the red color of the dust?" That may have been one of the first shocks that led to JPL at least getting serious about color balance.
Carolyn, I used to tell my young daughters when we would look at Saturn through my telescope, that I firmly believed it was put there only for human eyes to see ! They are now in their 30s, and still jokingly say that, everytime we look at Saturn ! Thank you for these stories.
Interesting that seeing planet images in color didn't seem necessary back then. A "High 5" to Carolyn for making it important! And, to release the Saturn photo on John Lennon's 60th!
I am so happy you are doing this. I loved watching along with the mission and sharing it with my students. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing, really nice to read some of the insights into the program
I think you should be saving such wonderful stories for your book.
I remember that first colour image of Jupiter, with Europa's shadow on it. I excitedly showed my colleagues in the law firm I was working in at the time. They were like, "very interesting. Maybe get back to work, though."
Thanks Carolyn for sharing this piece on color correction of space images. Relating to this,about the time I joined JPL, the Viking spacecraft had just landed on Mars, and at the inevitable news conference where the first pictures from the surface were released, the initial picture was toned so that the sky appeared blue. I believe it was Bill Hartmann, who was in the audience, raised the question, "since the sky brightness is dominated by light scattered from dust and not molecules, why is the sky blue and not the red color of the dust?" That may have been one of the first shocks that led to JPL at least getting serious about color balance.
Love the backstory!
Thanks!
This was such an exciting read!
Super stoked you’re writing a book! It’s so hard to wait. Thank you for your time and contributions to science and discoveries!
Fascinating reading again, many thanks Carolyn.
Carolyn, I used to tell my young daughters when we would look at Saturn through my telescope, that I firmly believed it was put there only for human eyes to see ! They are now in their 30s, and still jokingly say that, everytime we look at Saturn ! Thank you for these stories.
Thank you
Typo--photo of Jupiter, not Saturn, on Lennon's birthday.
Interesting that seeing planet images in color didn't seem necessary back then. A "High 5" to Carolyn for making it important! And, to release the Saturn photo on John Lennon's 60th!