Funny things happening around Saturn
We all know by now that Titan is fantastic… 
But did you know that other wonderful worlds are evolving around the Lord of the Rings (Kronos, Saturn, whatever you want to call the giant planet).
Just a few days ago, my next favorite moon, Enceladus, gave us new cause for wonder. Enormous plumes of water spurt in giant jets out of deep cracks we call “tiger’s stripes” in the South pole of the satellite. Researchers now provide evidence that the plumes originate in an underground salty ocean.
This is extremely important in the quest of astrobiologists for the origins and evolution pathways that lead to life in our Solar System and elsewhere, because in that, liquid water is essential. So that now we know that liquid water can exist as far as 10 Astronomical Units (10 times the distance of Earth to the Sun). An there are strong suspiciions also that Titan harbors a liquid water ocean also… This is really wonderful news also for our understanding about how the moons in the Solar System are formed and how they have evolved in time.
The Cassini spacecraft flying just a few kms from the surface of Enceladus and plunging through its plumes!
You may want to also see: http://www.saturndaily.com/reports/Salty_Ocean_In_The_Depths_Of_Enceladus_999.html
for more information…
Stay tuned for more amazing discoveries around Saturn and in the meantime you may want to go and see the new movie Startrek and watch closely for something related to our discussions (see also : http://ciclops.org/?js=1). Have you found it? And how do you like the new movie?
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:47 pm
This is very interesting - it incited me to go look at the references and files you suggest. So, it looks like Saturn’s neighborhood is the most interesting place to look for current or future life, right ? Keep us posted! What about the next space mission ?