NASA released new photos of Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus Friday, taken when a probe flew just 30 miles above its surface.
This picture, taken in a flyby by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, is one of the closest images of the moon yet. “Cassini’s stunning images are providing us a quick look at Enceladus from this ultra-close flyby, but some of the most exciting science is yet to come,” said Linda Spilker, the project scientist for the mission, in a statement.
Cassini also took samples of ice particles and gas as it passed near Enceladus, which will be tested and analyzed for insights on the vast ocean beneath Enceladus’s surface. Scientists will be looking for evidence of hypothermic activity on the ocean floor, which could make the small moon a target of future exploration for a habitable environment outside Earth.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- What's the Deal With the Bitcoin Halving?
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Charlotte Alter at charlotte.alter@time.com