Star Wars might be science fiction, but at times, the universe of Luke Skywalker and General Leia crosses over into our own reality. These real space images and places bring the galaxy far, far away a little closer to home.
NASA’s Saturn-studying Cassini spacecraft sent back plenty of great views of the ringed planet and its moons. This striking view of the moon Mimas shows how the rocky satellite earned its nickname of the “Death Star moon.”
The image comes from late 2016. Mimas is 246 miles (396 kilometers) in diameter. The large round crater makes it resemble the Death Star with its concave dish. Darth Vader would give this moon a double-take if he saw it out there in space.
