NASA's Cassini spacecraft has officially completed its final close flyby of Enceladus, Saturn's icy moon, capturing amazingly detailed images of its furrows and ridges during its 22nd encounter with the unique satellite, according to RT. The spacecraft passed Enceladus from a distance of 3,106 miles (4,999 km) on Dec. 19, capturing images that were transmitted to NASA and subsequently released - one showing its northern terrain, another showing its dimly lit limb and a third showing its Samarkand Sulci, which refers to its almost parallel furrows and ridges.
Despite the final flyby, Cassini will continue to monitor Enceladus from a distance until the end of 2017, when the entire mission will come to an end. Furthermore, the geologic activity captured by the spacecraft has led to numerous discoveries about the moon's environment, including evidence of a subsurface ocean, and it is now considered to be the solar system's top contender in terms of spots that could harbor alien life.
Cassini is now destined for Titan, another one of Saturn's moons - its flyby is scheduled to take place on Jan. 16 at a distance of 3,817 kilometers, according to CBC News.
