August 13, 2008 Spacecraft pictures of Saturn's moon Play video

(NECN) - The Cassini spacecraft has begun sending data to Earth, following a close flyby of Saturn's moon Enceladus. During closest approach, Cassini successfully passed only 30 miles from the surface of the tiny moon.

During the flyby, Cassini focused its cameras on Enceladus with an emphasis

on the moon's south pole where parallel stripes or fissures dubbed "tiger

stripes" line the region. That area is of particular interest because

geysers of water-ice and vapor jet out of the fissures and supply material

to Saturn's E-ring. Scientists hope to learn more about the fissures and

whether liquid water is indeed the engine powering the geysers.

*Video provided by NASA*