DETROIT – NASA's Cassini spacecraft has sent back images from its final close flyby of Saturn's oddball moon, Hyperion, which some scientists say is the remnant of a violent collision that broke up a much larger object "many moons ago" (no pun intended…that's what first came to mind).
In this particular image, Cassini passed about 21,000 miles from the moon.
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As you can see, this heavenly body has a heavily impact-scarred surface, it's truly one of the most bizarre-looking objects in our solar system.
It's pock-marked appearance is attributed to Hyperion's very low density, which is half the density of water. As a result, things that impact this moon compress the surface, rather than explode craters into it.
Cassini will end its mission in 2017 with a daring final act: repeatedly diving through the gap between Saturn and its rings.
Stay tuned for that!