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Related: About this forumNASA just released a gorgeous photo of Saturns moon Enceladus that holds a secret
Saturn is an incredibly interesting planet for a number of reasons, not least of which is its iconic rings, but one of its many moons might actually be more worthy of attention than the planet itself. Enceladus, a frosty body measuring a measly 160 miles in radius, has captured the attention of astronomers due to its peculiar behavior, and NASA just released a stunning photo showcasing the far-off moons most exciting feature.
The image, which was captured by NASAs Cassini spacecraft prior to its fateful descent into Saturns atmosphere, shows Enceladus bathed in light from the sun. Its a gorgeous photo, especially with Saturns flashy rings acting as a backdrop, but its the hazy mist just below the moon that deserves your attention more than anything else.
That blurry glow is light being caught by powerful geysers of liquid water which the moon spews out of its southern pole. The water, which freezes upon being spat out, is proof that the moon holds liquid water beneath its frozen shell, and scientists are growing increasingly interested in the possibility that life might actually exist closer to the moons core. Recent studies have suggested that tidal movements generated by Saturns gravitational pull may be enough to keep the interior of the moon warm, and water plus heat is often thought to be a big precursor to life as we know it. - BGR
Liquid water geysers on another celestial body is kinda big news.
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NASA just released a gorgeous photo of Saturns moon Enceladus that holds a secret (Original Post)
ffr
Dec 2017
OP
exboyfil
(17,865 posts)1. If nothing more we should get a probe that
can fly through that mist collecting it to look for organics and possibly even "biologicals". Before we puzzled how to punch through Europa's ice. We don't even need to do that with this moon.
You are right this is very big news.
Reviewing Wikipedia this program was not selected for NASA funding. If I were the Chinese I would go for it. I can't see why it doesn't go to near the top of the list.
2naSalit
(86,804 posts)2. Cool! ...nt
pscot
(21,024 posts)3. A water droplet 320 miles across
edit:arithmetic