NASA Cassini Spacecraft Captures 'Good-Bye' Picture of Dione, the Icy World

NASA's Cassini spacecraft is saying good-bye to Saturn's moon Dione after its mission there. Now, it's captured a spectacular image of the moon, taken during its last close approach to the icy world.

Cassini actually passed within 295 miles above Dione's surface at 2:33 p.m. EDT on Aug. 17. This was the fifth close encounter with Dione during Cassini's long tour at Saturn. However, this wasn't the closest flyby. That occurred in Dec. 2011, and was at a distance of just 60 miles from the surface.

"I am moved, as I know everyone else is, looking at these exquisite images of Dione's surface and crescent, and knowing that they are the last we will see of this far-off world for a very long time to come," said Carolyn Porco, Cassini imaging team lead, in a news release. "Right down to the last, Cassini has faithfully delivered another extraordinary set of riches. How lucky we have been."

The main focus for the Dione flyby was actually gravity science rather than imaging. This actually made capturing the images tricky, since Cassini's camera was not controlling where the spacecraft pointed.

"We had just enough time to snap a few images, giving us nice, high resolution looks at the surface," said Tilmann Denk, a Cassini participating scientist. "We were able to make use of reflected sunlight from Saturn as an additional light source, which revealed details in the shadows of some of the images."

The researchers play to study the data from the gravity science experiment and magnetosphere and plasma science instruments. The data should reveal new clues about Dione's interior structure and processes affecting its surface.

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