NASA Destroyed Cassini — But Its Final Data Revealed Saturn's Biggest Mysteries

On September 15, 2017, NASA deliberately sent the Cassini spacecraft into Saturn's atmosphere, ending one of the greatest space missions in history.

But before Cassini disappeared, its final orbits revealed strange discoveries about Saturn that scientists are still studying today.

From Saturn's mysterious magnetic field and ring rain to the almost completely empty gap between the planet and its rings, Cassini uncovered clues that changed what we know about the giant planet.

The mission also revealed incredible evidence from Enceladus, including its hidden ocean, organic compounds, and signs of hydrothermal activity.

In this Historian Space episode, we explore Cassini's Grand Finale, Saturn's strange hexagonal storm, Iapetus's bizarre equatorial ridge, the chemistry falling from the rings, and why NASA ultimately sacrificed Cassini to protect Saturn's potentially habitable moons.

Cassini may be gone, but its discoveries are still changing our understanding of Saturn and its mysterious moons.

Which discovery surprised you the most — Saturn's hexagon, ring rain, or Enceladus's hidden ocean?

Let us know in the comments.

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