Google's Dart Mission homepage Easter egg is out of this world

Unless you've been living under an rock (sorry, asteroid), you've probably heard about NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART mission. The agency crashed a spaceship into an asteroid in an attempt to push it off course. Because why not.

The mission, NASA's first test of planetary defence technology, feels like something out of a sci-fi film (probably from the 90s, probably starring Bruce Willis). And it was, according to NASA, a success. We won't know for a couple of months whether it actually changed the course of the asteroid, but that isn't stopping the internet getting into the asteroid-smashing spirit – including Google. (Looking for inspiration? Check out the best web design software available now.) 

Type 'Dart Mission' into Google Search, and you'll be met with an animation of a satellite careering to the right of the screen. Then, after the impact, the entire results page is left askew. And it certainly has replay value – I've lost count of how many times I've refreshed the page. Simple pleasures, etc.

This is by no means the first Easter egg we've seen from Google. From the Batman searchlight to infamous Suez Canal debacle, the company loves to jump on a viral topic. For some of the most ingenious examples, check out our roundup of the best Google Easter eggs.

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