BellaOnline Forums Education Astronomy The Day Earth Smiled

Last Saturday, July 19, two distant NASA spacecraft photographed the Earth - Cassini from Saturn and MESSENGER from Mercury. Astronomy groups around the world had special events to wave at Saturn, and view it if possible. No one was encouraged to stare in the direction of Mercury as it's very close to the Sun, so the MESSENGER picture didn't get as much publicity.

There's no detail. Remember they're both pretty far away. But these are the two views of home. I can't imagine being so far away from it.

In honor of the "Smile at Saturn" day, Fabio di Donato made an animation of Cassini images of Saturn's rings and moons, selected from over 200,000 taken between 2005 and 2013. It's set to a Shostakovich waltz, so I wonder if you can watch it without swaying to the music. (I couldn't.)

Donato dedicated it to the memory of Italian astrophysicist and popular science writer Margherita Hack. She died last month, aged 91. Donato said, "She made me love the stars."

It's best if you can watch it at full screen: Around Saturn

Find out more about the Cassini Mission and Website.

Last week's picture from Saturn is only the third image of Earth ever captured from the outer Solar System. The second one was also captured by Cassini. It's one of my favorite Cassini images: Saturn, rings, and Earth if you look carefully.

What about the first picture taken from the outer Solar System that included Earth? Does anyone know what that was?

(Hint: It was something to do with America's best known astronomer.)

Remember the "pale blue dot"? It was how Earth looked on the picture Voyager 1 took of the Solar System after it completed its primary mission and before it headed for the stars. Carl Sagan had asked for the image and here is a superb graphic of part of his famous reflection.

The Pale Blue Dot

On July 19, NASA asked for pictures from people who were waving at Saturn as Cassini photographed Earth. The pictures have been worked into a collage, using a map of Earth facing in Cassini's direction.

Here's the picture: Earth waves at Saturn

Here is a mosaic made of Cassini images taken on the day Earth smiled at Saturn. It's annotated so you can see where planets and moons are. Saturn on the day Earth smiled. It's a really beautiful picture.