NASA releases stunning image of planet Saturn as Cassini spacecraft bids adieu | Oneindia News

NASA has released a stunning farewell image of Saturn. The image of Saturn and its splendid rings and moons was captured by the Cassini spacecraft during the final leg of its 20- year-long epic journey in space. The probe snapped a series of images that has been assembled into a new mosaic. Cassini's wide-angle camera acquired 42 red, green and blue images, covering the planet and its main rings from one end to the other on September 13 this year. Imaging scientists stitched these frames together to make a natural colour view. The Cassini imaging team had been planning this special farewell view of Saturn for years. For some, when the end finally came, it was a difficult goodbye. Launched in 1997, the Cassini spacecraft orbited Saturn from 2004 to 2017. The mission made numerous dramatic discoveries, including the surprising geologic activity on Saturn's moon Enceladus and liquid methane seas on Saturn's largest moon, Titan. Cassini ended its journey with a dramatic plunge into Saturn's atmosphere on September 15, this year, returning unique science data until it lost contact with Earth.