Cassini's new breathtaking images of Saturn's moon

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Cassini's New Breathtaking Images of Saturn's Moon
Cassini's New Breathtaking Images of Saturn's Moon


NASA released a series of stunning images of Saturn's icy moon, Dione, from the Cassini spacecraft's final close flyby.

The craft, which has been exploring Saturn and its moons since 2004, passed within 300 miles of Dione's pockmarked surface.

Click through for more incredible photos of Dione:


Carolyn Porco, the Cassini imaging team lead at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo., praised the craft in a statement on NASA's website, calling the images exquisite.

"Right down to the last, Cassini has faithfully delivered another extraordinary set of riches. How lucky we have been," she said.

Cassini's mission will conclude in 2017, sending itself into Saturn's atmosphere where it will be destroyed. But before it meets its fateful end, it will go through a series of maneuvers through and between Saturn's rings -- so we should have plenty more incredible photos to look forward to.

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