It's amazing how different the atmosphere looks depending on whic filter is used to view it:

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/imag...eiImageID=44702

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/imag...eiImageID=44701

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/imag...eiImageID=44700

Awesome!

Gas giants are a neglected commodity in my mind. From point of view of mere principle, seem like perfect realm for creating untold interesting entropy dissipating structures. I think people grossly underestimate the weirdness afoot in such environments...

Another atmosphere thingy...

Here:

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/imag...2/N00037105.jpg

is a very cool image of Pandora and the almost edge-on rings. But look at Saturn in the background - very close to the terminator. Those shadings look like cloud shadows to me. I don't recall them ever being reported before on Saturn, though Voyager 2 saw then at Neptune.

Phil

Agree, Phil, this image is breathtaking!
I made an enhancemet of these 3D clouds/waves by subtracting uniform shading:
Click to view attachment
Anyway, this isn't a new even for Cassini:
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/imag...fm?imageID=1370

Some gorgeous views of the swirling atmosphere in the latest batch of RAW images.

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/imag...eiImageID=47909

And another view of the refraction of the rings by the atmosphere:

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/imag...3/N00038646.jpg

Amazing view through the rings...
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/imag...3/N00038988.jpg

Wha-they're nothing but a giant, scratched-up ND filter!

I agree. The information and especially the images coming from Cassini are truly incredible. This should really encourage us to get out to the remaining outer planets with orbiters......

These cloud ripples evoke water flowing in a river over an underwater obstacle. If we keep with this analogy, there may be some invisible disturbance under the visible cloud layer, perhaps a kind of cumulus cloud. Such ripples can form on Earth above mountains or cumulus, but they are usually not visible, unless there is a continuous layer of clouds.