Steve Barnes' World of Happiness

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Cassini's final images.

(Science Week – Day 7!)

20 years. Some scientific endeavours are things populations grow up with.

Last year was so full of world news that it almost seemed to eclipse how amazing it was for astronomy and space exploration. Exoplanets continued to be catalogued by the hundreds, the James Webb telescope continued preparation for its succession of Hubble, Curiosity continued to scavenge Mars, and Juno provided unimaginable close-up photos of the giant Jupiter.

Perhaps the most moving was the final blaze of Cassini into Saturn’s atmosphere, finishing its two-decade mission to explore that planetary system as it and its moons, varied as literary worlds, were revealed.

It’s no challenge to look up this now-historic probe, so I’ll select one short and soothing edit of its story. I recommend turning on captions for some factual insight into the wondrous music and imagery.