The Closest Photo of Saturn Ever Taken

 

Captured by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft during its Grand Finale dive in 2017, this is the closest we’ve ever seen Saturn. Just 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) above the cloud tops, Cassini dove between the planet and its rings — a region no spacecraft had dared to explore before.

Look closely and you can see the stunning detail of Saturn’s upper atmosphere — the swirling clouds, the subtle hues, the raw power of a gas giant in our own solar system.

This image isn't just a photo — it’s a farewell. Cassini took this shot before diving into Saturn’s atmosphere and ending its mission, burning up to protect Saturn’s moons from contamination.

 A final kiss from a robot explorer to the ringed giant it loved.

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