In this SOHO spacecraft image taken July 21, 2005, the Sun is represented by the white circle in the centre. Saturn is the bright object to the left of the Sun.
Interestingly, the streak accompanying Saturn is not the rings but a distortion caused by Saturn's brightness.
Saturn is approaching "superior conjunction". It will be almost directly behind the Sun and hidden from the Earth on the 25th July. The Cassini spacecraft, in orbit around Saturn, will not be able to send or receive transmissions normally. Regular science data collection has been temporarily suspended. As Cassini passes the edge of the Sun on July 24 th, communications will be impossible because of the Sun's radio noise. The spacecraft will regain full communication with the Earth on July 27. In the meantime, controllers are sending approximately 100 commands per day to test communication status. Cassini radio scientists are taking advantage of this opportunity to study the Sun's corona from its effects on the radio signals that reach Earth.
