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There are many images of Cassini with Saturn in the background on the internet. How are these photos taken? Is the video of Cassini disintegrating in Saturn's Atmosphere real or made using graphics?

Satya
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  • Related: https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/23050/did-huygens-take-a-picture-of-cassini – Russell Borogove Sep 15 '17 at 21:09
  • There is a Q&A about why images of satellites in Earth orbit are illustrations and not real photos, can't find it right now. – uhoh Sep 16 '17 at 00:39
  • Maybe this one: https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/3970/why-are-photos-of-satellites-most-often-computer-generated – BowlOfRed Sep 16 '17 at 06:09
  • There are pictures like this http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2004/06/Artist_s_impression_of_Cassini-Huygens_closing_in_on_Saturn
    A reputable source adds the words "artist's impression" to the picture. There are more links http://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/04/27/cassini_survives_plunge_saturns_rings/
    https://www.universetoday.com/53307/cassini-images/     – Uwe Sep 16 '17 at 09:09

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Any picture of Cassini in space is an artist's conception, probably a computer rendering, although the Saturn backdrop may come from real Cassini photographs.

I had thought it possible that the Huygens probe carried by Cassini to Titan might have taken one or more pictures of Cassini as it departed, but it's not possible, as the camera was enclosed under the probe's heat shield until it was well into its descent.

Russell Borogove
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