The search for extraterrestrial life in our solar system just got more exciting. A team of scientists including Southwest Research Institute’s Dr. Christopher Glein has discovered new evidence that the […]
Cassini
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Callisto, Europa, Ganymede, Gas Giants, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Io, Jupiter, Missions & Hardware, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Jupiter Science Enabled by ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer
ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) will provide a detailed investigation of the Jovian system in the 2030s, combining a suite of state-of-the-art instruments with an orbital tour tailored to […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Enceladus, Icy Worlds, Press Release
How Enceladus Ejects Particles From Oceans Beneath Its Surface
Although it is relatively small, Enceladus — the sixth largest of Saturn’s 83 moons — has been considered by astronomers to be one of the more compelling bodies in our […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Enceladus, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Detection Of HCN And Diverse Redox Chemistry In The Plume Of Enceladus
The Cassini spacecraft discovered that Saturn’s moon Enceladus possesses a series of jets erupting from its South Polar Terrain.
Posted inAstrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Press Release, Titan
New Titan Topographic Map
Using the now-complete Cassini data set, Cornell University astronomers have created a new global topographic map of Saturn’s moon Titan that has opened new windows into understanding its liquid flows […]
Posted inEnceladus, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds
Hydrothermal Activity in The Seas of Enceladus: Implications For Habitable Zones
On Thursday NASA will announce evidence that hydrothermal activity on the floor of an ice-covered ocean on Saturn’s moon Enceladus is most likely creating methane from carbon dioxide. The process […]
Posted inEnceladus
Cassini Finds Global Ocean in Saturn's Moon Enceladus
A global ocean lies beneath the icy crust of Saturn’s geologically active moon Enceladus, according to new research using data from NASA’s Cassini mission. Researchers found the magnitude of the […]
Posted inTitan
Modeling Titan's Atmospheric Chemistry
NASA scientists have created a new recipe that captures key flavors of the brownish-orange atmosphere around Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. The recipe is used for lab experiments designed to simulate […]
Posted inIcy Worlds
The Importance of Plumes
The Hubble Space Telescope is famous for finding black holes. It can pick out thousands of galaxies in a patch of sky the size of a thumbprint. The most powerful […]
Posted inHabitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Press Release
Wild Weather Could Be Ahead on Titan
Saturn’s moon Titan might be in for some wild weather as it heads into its spring and summer, if two new models are correct. Scientists think that as the seasons […]