This article is from the source 'rtcom' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.rt.com/news/403427-cassini-grand-finale-live/
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Saturn destroys Cassini in dramatic final moments (LIVE) | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| On October 15, 1997 Cassini launched from Earth on its mammoth journey to the mysterious gas giant lurking at the edge of our solar system – Saturn. Now, almost 20 years later, it has all come to an end in dramatic, fiery fashion. | |
| Cassini began its final descent Friday into the dark heart of the solar system's second biggest planet. At about 07:55 EDT (11:55 GMT) the probe dove into the planet’s atmosphere, sending back information up until the last moment before eventually burning up in the atmosphere. | |
| Throughout its odyssey, Cassini sent back a wealth of information for us Earthlings to pour over. Named after the 17th century Italian-French astronomer who first discovered the division between Saturn's rings, Giovanni Domenico Cassini, the probe has made numerous startling discoveries about the planet and its moons. | Throughout its odyssey, Cassini sent back a wealth of information for us Earthlings to pour over. Named after the 17th century Italian-French astronomer who first discovered the division between Saturn's rings, Giovanni Domenico Cassini, the probe has made numerous startling discoveries about the planet and its moons. |
| Cassini detected hydrogen from hydrothermal vents in ice plumes from Saturn’s ocean-bearing moon, Enceladus, leading scientists to theorise that the moon could harbour alien life. | Cassini detected hydrogen from hydrothermal vents in ice plumes from Saturn’s ocean-bearing moon, Enceladus, leading scientists to theorise that the moon could harbour alien life. |
| It also found that Titan, another moon, was an Earth-like world complete with lakes and seas and, deep beneath its surface, a large internal ocean. | It also found that Titan, another moon, was an Earth-like world complete with lakes and seas and, deep beneath its surface, a large internal ocean. |
| Cassini began its grand finale in April with a series of 22 dives between Saturn and its rings. The dives have so far revealed that the gap itself is free of almost anything at all – even spacedust. | Cassini began its grand finale in April with a series of 22 dives between Saturn and its rings. The dives have so far revealed that the gap itself is free of almost anything at all – even spacedust. |