Prometheus Thread

This was one of those images that seems to come whenever I am reading a great story about current science.

When the Cassini probe entered orbit around Saturn I was enthralled with the imagery but there are always images that can never be taken because of the limitations in technology or danger to the equipment.

I wondered what the tiny moon Prometheus would look like from just above the ring plane and when I saw that Cassini had found a thin thread of material from the F-ring to the moon I realized I had to paint it.

The distant sun shows a halo effect from dusty debris above the ring plane and the F-ring itself reflects sunlight how I imagine a flat sheet might. Additional twists in the ring are so faint that starlight shines through. In the distance is the ring plane and another moon. Prometheus itself is backlit from Saturn off to the right.

The entire piece was executed in Painter and adjusted in Photoshop.