GrandFinale
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Follow Cassini’s final moments before it plunges into Saturn
For the last thirteen years, Cassini has been orbiting Saturn, sending back extraordinary images and data from the ringed planet and its moons. But now, it's time to say goodbye. Tomorrow, September 15th, the spacecraft will make its final fiery plunge into Saturn's atmosphere.
Watch a NASA simulation of Cassini's upcoming Saturn crash
On April 26th, NASA's Cassini probe will begin diving in and out of the gap between Saturn and its rings in what the agency calls its "Grand Finale." The spacecraft will orbit the gas giant it's been observing since 2004 22 more times before taking the final plunge into its atmosphere in mid-September. Since we won't be able to get a front-row seat to that show, NASA has released a video simulating the probe's last months, which you can watch below the fold. If that's not enough, you also download the "Eyes on Cassini" app for Macs and PCs so you can virtually ride on board the spacecraft and experience its last orbits and final plunge yourself.
