DLC Blog

New "Hot" Moon

Astronomers everywhere are excited over interesting recent discoveries about Saturn's moon Enceladus. Evidence collected by the Cassini probe has proven that this small moon supports its own atmosphere. It also seems to have a "hot-spot" at the southern pole, creating large cracks in its surface which have been termed its "tiger stripes."

It's interesting, however, that the warmest part of the planet should be at the southern pole. The relative warmth there cannot be a result of sunlight. Evidence shows that the large cracks in its surface may be due to ice geysers or ice volcanoes below the surface, though scientists cannot prove this without more information. The close flyby of the Cassini probe last month also indicated the presence of a water vapor atmosphere. The fact that parts of the southern surface are relatively smooth indicates recent volcanic activity, and may even indicate that this moon contains a small liquid subsurface ocean. This baffles scientists, as any liquid interior should have frozen long ago.

Along with Jupiter's moon Io, this makes Enceladus the second moon in our solar system with an atmosphere of its own. This moon is only 500km wide, yet its icy surface still makes it the most reflective object in our solar system. Below is a picture comparing the size of Enceladus with the Earth.

For more information on Enceladus, visit these sites:

Saturn Moon Delights and Baffles (BBC)
Enceladus (Wikipedia)

Lindsey Aakre
Student Mentor - French

Posted by Lindsey at August 31, 2005 01:38 PM in Science.