Saturn's Moon Iapetus Spins and Tilts • Saturn's two-faced moon tilts and rotates for Cassini in this mesmerizing movie sequence of images acquired during the spacecraft's close encounter with Iapetus on November 12, 2005. The encounter begins with Cassini about 850,000 kilometers (530,000 miles) distant from Iapetus. Cassini approached over the moon's northern hemisphere, allowing for excellent full views of a 575-kilometer (360-mile) wide impact basin in northeastern Cassini Regio. Astronomer

From CASSINI FLIGHT OVER IAPETUS' EQUATORIAL RIDGE Cassini sails low over the surface of Iapetus on approach to its close encounter with the enigmatic moon. Its flight takes it over the rugged, mountainous ridge along the moon's equator, where ancient, impact battered peaks -- some topping 10 kilometers (6 miles) in height -- are seen rising over the horizon and slipping beneath the spacecraft as it flies. Frames used in this movie were acquired with the Cassini wide-angle camera on Sept. 10, 20