Waltz around Saturn with this retro Sci-Fi-style video made from Cassini photos

 

 

Based on imagery alone, the Cassini-Huygens space probe is the gift that keeps on giving. Launched in 1997, Cassini-Huygens has been capturing hundreds of thousands of mind-blowing photos of Saturn and the surrounding solar system, including massive hurricanes on the planet and stunning cyclones.

On Tuesday, we shared an amazing photo Cassini shot of Earth, as seen from the shimmering rings of Saturn. And now here's a beautiful short film by Fabio Di Donato that takes many of Cassini's images of Saturn and its surrounding moons, and turns them into art. 

Called "Around Saturn," the video has been edited to create a cool retro look that recalls Sci-Fi classics such as Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" and even, at times, Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey." Except, of course, this film is not science fiction; it's space transformed into a galactic symphony (with the help of the music of Shostakovich).

This is not the first time Cassini's images have been made into a striking video. An upcoming IMAX film called "In Saturn's Rings," takes the same approach as Di Donato's film but comes up with a much different result. Plus, that film is in 4K. Watch a 4K trailer for "In Saturn's Rings" here.

(Via Kottke)

(WARNING: The video includes some flashing sequences that might not be suitable for people with photosensitive epilepsy.)