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Jan 05, 2016 09:00AM
NASA has a cool picture of Tethys & Enceladus aligned over Saturn's rings, courtesy of the Cassini probe.
![](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1452013181i/17634051.jpg)
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![John Meszaros | 14 comments](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1458112904p1/14972028.jpg)
There are tons more on the CICLOPS.org site. It's definitely worth checking out.
John wrote: "I love the surrealness of all the Saturn pictures. They always look like models to me. Or even cut-and-paste collages. "
Indeed, Arthur C Clarke commented that while his novel 2001: A Space Odyssey used Saturn as its destination, Kubik used Jupiter for the film because he found it impossible to create images of Saturn that didn't look like models.
Indeed, Arthur C Clarke commented that while his novel 2001: A Space Odyssey used Saturn as its destination, Kubik used Jupiter for the film because he found it impossible to create images of Saturn that didn't look like models.
RIP Cassini Spacecraft, 1997-2017
The Cassini spacecraft committed assisted suicide this morning after two decades studying Saturn.
NPR has a nice photo album & video with many of its 400,000 photos.
The Cassini spacecraft committed assisted suicide this morning after two decades studying Saturn.
NPR has a nice photo album & video with many of its 400,000 photos.
![Lauren Salisbury | 4 comments](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1495036622p1/59663418.jpg)
The Cassini spacecraft committed assisted suicide this morning after two decades studying Saturn.
NPR has a nice photo album & video with many of its 400,000 pho..."
Those pictures... Wow, just wow!
Alien probe enters solar system, paves way for invasion...
Alien Probe or Galactic Driftwood? SETI Tunes In to 'Oumuamua'
Rendezvous with Rama, anyone?
Alien Probe or Galactic Driftwood? SETI Tunes In to 'Oumuamua'
Rendezvous with Rama, anyone?
Well, we managed to litter Mars with yet another lander.
![](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1543286149i/26652867._SY540_.png)
first pictures from Insight
It found rocks and sand!
Insight's mission is geology in depth: it's planting a couple of seismometers and drilling into the crust (well, 15 feet into the crust) to measure temperature differential. NASA Mission description
![](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1543286149i/26652867._SY540_.png)
first pictures from Insight
It found rocks and sand!
Insight's mission is geology in depth: it's planting a couple of seismometers and drilling into the crust (well, 15 feet into the crust) to measure temperature differential. NASA Mission description
![Jim (jimmaclachlan) | 2369 comments](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1340192527p1/695116.jpg)
I'm so happy to see all the coverage of this in the mainstream media even though it makes me despair for the state I live in.
A couple of interesting space events last week...
New Horizon Fly-By
The New Horizon spacecraft, originally tasked to fly by Pluto and take some cool pics, continued on and was re-directed to a rock out in the Ort Cloud, nicknamed Ultima Thule.
Kind of looks like Phil's theory of the Earth & Moon in The Fifth Season discussion.
This is the most distant object ever observed by fly-by. (It's not the most distant spacecraft; that's still the Voyager.)
By the way, US PBS's NOVA did a 1-hour show on the New Horizon mission that aired just this week (fresh from the actual landing.) You can watch the program online at http://pbs.org/nova .
New Horizon Fly-By
The New Horizon spacecraft, originally tasked to fly by Pluto and take some cool pics, continued on and was re-directed to a rock out in the Ort Cloud, nicknamed Ultima Thule.
![ultima thule](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1546742819i/26866262._SX540_.jpg)
Kind of looks like Phil's theory of the Earth & Moon in The Fifth Season discussion.
This is the most distant object ever observed by fly-by. (It's not the most distant spacecraft; that's still the Voyager.)
By the way, US PBS's NOVA did a 1-hour show on the New Horizon mission that aired just this week (fresh from the actual landing.) You can watch the program online at http://pbs.org/nova .
Also last week,
Jade Rabbit Rover lands on Far Side of Moon
The Chinese spacecraft Chang'e 4 touched down on the back side of the moon and its rover, Yutu 2, sent back its first pictures.
The (now stationary) lander has its own camera, so it took the above picture of rover Yutu 2 heading off on its trip.
Because it's on the far side of the moon, it uses its own relay satellite, Queqiao, to talk to Earth.
Jade Rabbit Rover lands on Far Side of Moon
The Chinese spacecraft Chang'e 4 touched down on the back side of the moon and its rover, Yutu 2, sent back its first pictures.
![Far side of the moon](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1546743552i/26866289._SY540_.jpg)
The (now stationary) lander has its own camera, so it took the above picture of rover Yutu 2 heading off on its trip.
Because it's on the far side of the moon, it uses its own relay satellite, Queqiao, to talk to Earth.
![Jim (jimmaclachlan) | 2369 comments](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1340192527p1/695116.jpg)
https://www.space.com/42875-brian-may...
![Clare O'Beara | 1145 comments](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1585485276p1/23233462.jpg)
R.I.P. Opportunity Mars Rover
Came for 90 days, stayed for 14 years & 26 miles.
Technically, the rover Opportunity died last summer; NASA just officially called it dead and ended resuscitation efforts yesterday.
NASA Concludes Mars Rover Opportunity 15-Year Mission
![Opportunity sunset](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1550159082i/27064487._SY540_.jpg)
Came for 90 days, stayed for 14 years & 26 miles.
Technically, the rover Opportunity died last summer; NASA just officially called it dead and ended resuscitation efforts yesterday.
NASA Concludes Mars Rover Opportunity 15-Year Mission
![Andrea | 3276 comments](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1704062258p1/6442423.jpg)
![Tony Calder (tcsydney) | 851 comments](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1514829414p1/7348006.jpg)
I think many people feel the same Andrea - it became a kind of little robotic hero.
![John Karr (karr) | 25 comments](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1543079339p1/1344318.jpg)
Great black and white pic of Opportunity's footsteps on the barrens of Mars.
![Barbara (cinnabarb) | 254 comments](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1598060221p1/2172096.jpg)
![](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1550369445i/27076588._SX540_.jpg)
![Andrea | 3276 comments](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1704062258p1/6442423.jpg)
![Barbara (cinnabarb) | 254 comments](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1598060221p1/2172096.jpg)
Yes. If you look closely you can see a tiny leaf (I think). 😊🌸
Andrea wrote: "I have to admit that picture looks more like some kind of alien ooze than it does sprouting cotton,...? :)"
Alien protomolecule analyzing Earth DNA in preparation for triffid invasion.
Alien protomolecule analyzing Earth DNA in preparation for triffid invasion.
![John Karr (karr) | 25 comments](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1543079339p1/1344318.jpg)
And now we know what a black hole looks like... or at least the dust around one.
![black hole](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1554926603i/27344801.jpg)
From Galaxy Messier 87. (Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration, via National Science Foundation)
Black Hole Image Revealed for First Time Ever
![black hole](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1554926603i/27344801.jpg)
From Galaxy Messier 87. (Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration, via National Science Foundation)
Black Hole Image Revealed for First Time Ever
![Jim (jimmaclachlan) | 2369 comments](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1340192527p1/695116.jpg)
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/virgin-ga...
![Andrea | 3276 comments](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1704062258p1/6442423.jpg)
At the same time, I don't see the appeal. I get sick on little kid roller coasters and regular airplanes so space rockets were never an option for me :D
![Tony Calder (tcsydney) | 851 comments](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1514829414p1/7348006.jpg)
The good thing is that so much of the hardware and technology used by Space X and Virgin Space is reusable, so it is less of a drain on the environment. While a rocket launch does put a lot of crap in the atmosphere, overall the amount of damage done by rocket launches is very small compared to the damage done by cars around the world.
Also, I am concerned that if we delayed space exploration until such time as an environmentally acceptable solution is found - such as manipulation of the magnetic field - humans would lose the desire to go "out there".
![Jim (jimmaclachlan) | 2369 comments](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1340192527p1/695116.jpg)
Books mentioned in this topic
Rendezvous with Rama (other topics)2001: A Space Odyssey (other topics)