back to article NASA probe will ease through Saturn's ring to grab Earth snapshot

NASA's Cassini spacecraft will take a picture of Earthlings' home planet from the viewpoint of aliens on Saturn next month, snapping the image from hundreds of millions of miles away. Cassini picture of Earth from Saturn 2006 "While Earth will be only about a pixel in size from Cassini's vantage point 1.44 billion kilometres …

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  1. Dave Pickles

    El Reg in a Time Warp?

    "NASA's Cassini spacecraft will take a picture of Earthlings' home planet from the viewpoint of aliens on Saturn today, snapping the image from hundreds of millions of miles away."

    BBC is reporting that the image will be taken on Friday 19 July.

    1. the spectacularly refined chap

      Re: El Reg in a Time Warp?

      As is JPL. Easy to see how such a mistake can be made, announcing something yesterday that will happen in exactly a month an a day, but still you'd expect something like that to be caught.

      http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/newsreleases/newsrelease20040618/

      1. ian 22

        Re: El Reg in a Time Warp?

        NASA & JPL've been living in the future so long, it's become like the present. That or the space-time continuum has sprung a leak.

        Regardless, well done (or should that be 'well to be done').

        1. the spectacularly refined chap

          Re: El Reg in a Time Warp?

          Actually I wondered for a moment if I'd quoted the wrong thing when I saw the obvious date coding in that URL. 2004? Check the news release, yes, it is dated yesterday. El Reg is out by a month. JPL is out by nine years.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Shouldn't we be

      Turning down the lights a little so as not to entice human eating 60' tall green and red aliens to our planet like moths to an outside light?

  2. The Axe
    Happy

    Selfie

    So us earthlings are taking a selfie then?

    1. Mark123

      Re: Selfie

      Everyone get ready to put on your pouting duck-face..

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Where and When

    From a bit of research, us Brits should smile to the south west at half past ten in the evening on the 19th July.

    But then again, knowing Britain, our part of the pixel will be under cloud anyway.

    For the pedants, it's from 21:27 UTC for about 15 minutes. Saturn will be at Alt: 15.2° Az: 226.7°.

  4. Faye B

    Smile Please

    Will the Moon be photo-bombing us do you think.

    1. MrDamage Silver badge
      Pint

      Being a proud Aussie

      I'll be photo-bombing the snapshot with a moon of my own.

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

        1. Christoph

          Re: Being a proud Aussie

          No, the Earth will obstruct the view of Venus

          1. Chris 244
            Coat

            Re: Being a proud Aussie

            Venus?

            Surely you mean Uranus.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Being a proud Aussie

        If you're in Australia, you'll be on the wrong side of the planet at the time of the photo.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Smile Please

      I expect the moon will be sharing our pixel. It's not in a direct line though.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    A pixel...

    The Earth will be just a pixel.

    Until somebody says "Enhance!"

    (the "CSI" one, please).

    1. MrT

      They caught it just right...

      ... I can see someone reading this article ElReg on an iPad from there. Through a Tube train window. On the Victoria line, pulling into Pimlico. That CSI software is good...

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Pint

    ...pale blue dot...

    Excellent.

    I need to watch that series again.

  7. Mike Cunliffe

    Which Month

    I'm confused. Is it today or 19th July?

    1. diodesign (Written by Reg staff) Silver badge

      Re: Which Month

      Yes, it's 19 July.

      C.

  8. Lord Elpuss Silver badge

    Awesome

    that is all.

  9. Wzrd1 Silver badge

    Tomorrow will be the wonderful news that we won WWII or something.

    Later, that I acquired the ability to submit handwriting or something.

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