Through the B-Ring

These side-by-side views of a star (Aldebaran?) seen through Saturn's densely populated B-Ring show marked contrast between the region where spokes - the ghostly radial features periodically seen in it - are produced and regions where no spokes are seen.
In the view at left, the B-Ring displays an uneven grainy texture, with a great deal of variability in brightness along the direction of the particle motion. In the view at right, the B-Ring is far smoother and more uniform along the same longitudinal direction.
Ring scientists on the Cassini Imaging Team are studying images such as these to understand the processes by which spokes are created. This difference in appearance from one location to another on the Ring could provide the researchers with helpful insights into the features' formation.
These views were acquired about half an hour apart as the Cassini spacecraft looked toward the unlit side of the Rings from about 33° above the Ring-Plane.