Watch NASA's spectacular home movie of the first dive between Saturn and its rings

Wish you were here.
 By 
Jerico Mandybur
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Well if this lil' home video doesn't fill you with excitement and awe, check your pulse because you're probably dead.

NASA's Cassini's spacecraft has been undergoing a series of risky AF "dives" or "ring crossings," swooping between Saturn and its icy rings and over the planet's surface, capturing some incredible images (and spooky sounds) in the process.

Now, prepare to have your space pants blown off by this -- an incredible movie-like sequence of images captured on April 26 on the first of the craft's "grand finale" dives.

Captured at 6,800 miles per hour (aka 45 times faster than a speeding bullet) the "movie" represents the exploration of uncharted territory for the $3.26 billion mission.

Cowabunga!

Kunio Sayanagi, an associate of the Cassini imaging team who helped create the movie said, "I was surprised to see so many sharp edges along the hexagon's outer boundary and the eye-wall of the polar vortex. Something must be keeping different latitudes from mixing to maintain those edges."

A second animation, tacked onto the footage, adds an image of Saturn for reference. The red dot on the Saturn image shows the location of each frame in the movie.

The third and final animation shows Cassini's position and orientation above Saturn as the images were being taken, along with the camera's field of view projected onto the planet.

The 22nd and final orbit will destroy the probe, burning it up in the clouds of Saturn on September 15, 2017.

Until, just sit back and ponder how small and insignificant we all are. Thanks, NASA!

Mashable Image
Jerico Mandybur

Jerico Mandybur is the editor of Mashable Australia. Previously, she worked as a digital editor at SBS, Oyster Mag, MTV and ASOS. Tweet her at @jerico_m.

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You
DreamWorks' 'Forgotten Island' trailer teases spectacular Filipino-inspired '90s adventure
Jo and Raissa in 'Forgotten Island.'



Hubble catches the last lights of a dying star in spectacular detail
Hubble observing the Egg Nebula

Watch NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 splash down off Californian coast
NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 take a ride home in a Dragon capsule.

More in Entertainment
How to watch 'Wuthering Heights' at home: Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi's controversial romance now streaming
Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi embracing in still from "Wuthering Heights"

How to watch New York Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers online for free
Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders warms up

How to watch Mexico vs. Belgium online for free
Israel Reyes of Mexico reacts

How to watch Brazil vs. Croatia online for free
Vinicius Junior #10 of Brazil leaves

How to watch USA vs. Portugal online for free
Joe Scally #19 of the United States

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone


NYT Strands hints, answers for April 3, 2026
A game being played on a smartphone.

You can track Artemis II in real time as Orion flies to the moon
Victor Glover and Reid Wiseman piloting the Orion spacecraft
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!