The pictures of Saturn’s moon Mimas were taken by NASA’s Cassini probe. They are the best quality photos ever taken of the moon – and they reveal it looks like the Death Star from Star Wars!

The moon’s resemblance to the Death Star is caused by the massive Herschel Crater, which is 140km wide and up to 10km deep.

Mimas itself has a diameter of just 396km, so scientists want to know why the impact that caused the Herschel Crater did not blow the moon to pieces.

Astronomers hope that these new high-quality images will provide more clues about Mimas’ past. By counting the numbers of smaller craters inside Herschel, they will be able to make estimates about when the huge crater was formed.

Cassini also sent back information about how much heat Mimas gives out, and more detail about the moon’s surface.

To get these images, Cassini had to pass as close as 9,500km above the surface of Mimas. It also had to negotiate its way through a dangerous, dusty region of space.

Are you a fan of Star Wars? If you are, why not check out a cool Jedi story and video here, or leave your thoughts about the Death Star moon, below...