NASA shares a stunning photo of a “dumpling-shaped” object.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) often delights space enthusiasts with updates on the latest discoveries regarding galaxies, stars, and planets within our solar system. She also shares eye-catching photos taken by her spacecraft. Now, in its latest post, the US space agency has dropped a photo of a “dumpling-shaped” object spotted in outer space and asked netizens what they think is shown in the photo.

“Ravioli, pierogi, empanada… what do you see? There are no wrong answers,” NASA wrote in the caption.

Take a look below:

The object captured by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft turns out to be Saturn’s innermost moon called Pan. NASA explained that the two images were taken from two different perspectives. While the image on the left appears to be taken from above the moon, the image on the right appears to be taken from below it. “The moon has a ridge of flat ridges around its midpoint, and lines that appear to have been scraped across its surface,” the description reads.

Furthermore, NASA explained that Pan is the deepest known moon of Saturn. It orbits the planet from within a gap in one of Saturn’s rings. The space agency said: “It completes its orbit every 13.8 hours at an altitude of 83,000 miles (134,000 km), adding that “the hills around Pan’s equator resemble the atlas of Saturn’s moon, and give the moon its distinctive shape.”

Read also | Scientists estimate that mammals will become extinct within 250 million years due to extreme heat

See also  Review of “Across the Galaxy on a Cargo Bike”

Since being published, the post has received more than 273,000 likes and many comments. “Spaghetti with cream crush,” one Instagram user joked. Another said: “That’s tortellini.”

“Frying pan and pie,” a third wrote. Another added: “It’s a secret walnut-shaped interstellar spacecraft, created by evolving Squirlians from a parallel dimension.”

Meanwhile, according to the space agency, Pan was first discovered by M.R. Showalter in 1990 using images taken by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. These latest images of Pan were taken by the Cassini spacecraft as it passed within 24,600 kilometers of the moon. This is also the spacecraft’s closest encounter with Pan, NASA said.