While performing a flyby of satellite Cassini captured an image of the one of Saturn's outer moons’ porous surface named Hyperion. It can be seen in incredible detail in this image.

A decade ago, when Cassini took the image, it was almost around 38,500 miles (62,000 km) from Hyperion.

Esa has just released a refined false-color perspective of the moon in which its surface features has been highlighted by toning down its natural redness.

During the flyby, the probe was able to get more than it has bargained for, as Hyperion unleashed a burst of charged particles towards the spacecraft, and effectively delivered a giant 200-volt electric shock.

It seemed like Hyperion's surface gets electrostatically charged when is bathed in charged particles. These particles have been continuously streaming out into space from the sun, but at the same time Hyperion also has to deal with the ones trapped within the magnetic field of its host planet, Saturn.

Although astronomers expected many charged bodies throughout the solar system, but the Cassini data has represented the first-ever experience of a charged natural object in space other than our moon.

Professor Tom Nordheim at University College London, said, “This is comparable to what happens when you rub your hair against a balloon, or when a shirt or blouse rubs against a sweater”.

Due to the large difference in potential between the surface and the spacecraft, a flow of electrons got accelerated from Hyperion toward Cassini.

Hyperion has a potato like shape and is one of the largest bodies in the solar system which is known to be so irregular. It’s odd, almost 'bubbly' appearance can be a result of having a very low density for its size.

It is due to these properties that the entire moon is porous, like a sponge, with well-preserved craters of various sizes that are packed together across its surface.