15 years, 9 months ago

Enceladus does and does not have a global ocean

In 2005, the Cassini space probe orbiting Saturn surprised astronomers when it detected geysers of water spewing from the icy moon Enceladus. This week, in a University of Colorado study of the geysers spewing from Enceladus, astronomers found the water lacked sodium. This week, in a JPL and Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics study of the outermost ring of Saturn, astronomers found the ring particles contained sodium. Happily, as Cassini orbits the Saturn system it will be passing directly through the plumes at least twice more, giving astronomers that many more chances to see what’s happening on that tiny little moon so far away.

Slate

Discover Related