These are two pictures of Iapetus. Some parts of the moon's surface are bright white. Other areas are very dark. The Cassini spacecraft took these pictures.
Click on image for full size
Images courtesy of NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute.
The Surface of Iapetus
The surface of Iapetus is very unique. No other moon has its half-black and half-white appearance. It appears to be resurfaced on the dark side with a dark and smooth substance, and on its bright side appears to be heavily cratered. The process which caused this strange darkening is unknown.
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