A Moon of Saturn Has a Sea, Scientists Say

[Turk.]

By KENNETH CHANGAPRIL 3, 2014

A view of Saturn's fourth-largest moon, Enceladus, as seen from the Cassini spacecraft. Credit NASA

Inside a moon of Saturn, beneath its icy veneer and above its rocky core, is a sea of water the size of Lake Superior, scientists announced on Thursday.

The findings, published in the journal Science, confirm what planetary scientists have suspected about the moon, Enceladus, ever since they were astonished in 2005 by photographs showing geysers of ice crystals shooting out of its south pole.

?What we?ve done is put forth a strong case for an ocean,? said David J. Stevenson, a professor of planetary science at the California Institute of Technology and an author of the Science paper.

For many researchers, this tiny, shiny cueball of a moon, just over 300 miles wide, is now the most promising place to look for life elsewhere in the solar system, even more than Mars.
Source

[Raa]

I see.

[DocM]

There really needs to be a set of major missions to all of the Jovian icy moons. Much to learn there, unless we get a message to leave them alone ;)

[Hum]

The fishing is good on Enceladus.

[Turk.]

I see you see from much closer NSW. :)

[(Account no longer active)]

Earth's moon is solid cheese. Saturn's are mozzarella.

[AMPSV]

There really needs to be a set of major missions to all of the Jovian icy moons. Much to learn there, unless we get a message to leave them alone ;)

"message to leave them alone" from AKA the Black Monolith from 2001 A space Odyssey :alien:

[Kriz]

I thought we already knew this? Or was it all theories?

[Kravex]

If they need funding to explore, just say there's oil there as well.  :D

 

But seriously, could an eco system really evolve and survive on a planetary body just 300 miles wide? Water is just one of the many things needed for life, would there be enough of the others?

[DocM]

Strongly suspected, both it and Europa. This and geysers are evidence.

Even more water on Ceres, and it's closer.

[Astra.Xtreme]

Even if we sent something there to explore, it would need an insanely complicated means of drilling to get to that water.  Drilling 20-25 miles deep is something that's incredibly difficult to do even here on Earth.

[DocM]

You don't drill, you melt. The probes business end gets a radioisotope heating unit and heat pipes in its shell to melt its way through. Thermoelectric converters give you your power for LED lights, comms, lasers or whatever. KISS.

[Dick Montage]

All these so-called "scientists".  Sea?  Show me a sea, and then I'll believe.  But no you can't can you - because we know that sea's are entirely unproven.

[spacer]

Pretty cool stuff. I know they suspected water before, but I guess now they have enough evidence to be almost 100% certain.

 

I agree with Doc. NASA really needs to plan a mission to one of these moons. We need to see what's swimming in those waters.  :|

 

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

Pretty cool stuff. I know they suspected water before, but I guess now they have enough evidence to be almost 100% certain.

 

I agree with Doc. NASA really needs to plan a mission to one of these moons. We need to see what's swimming in those waters.  :|

 

horrible movie.

[Andre S. Veteran]

All these so-called "scientists".  Sea?  Show me a sea, and then I'll believe.  But no you can't can you - because we know that sea's are entirely unproven.

What do you mean by "show me"? Is visual information and logical deduction not solid basis for proof? Do you need to personally go there and dive into the stuff and feel the water on your skin to believe?

[malenfant]

StoneAerospace are working directly with NASA support/funding to build autonomous underwater robots - see Endurance and DepthX.

Bill Stone intends for the final version to be powered by a surface reactor/laser shot down a fibre optic cable the robot unspools as it melts it's way deeper while it maneuvers around obstacles in the ice. I think WIRED reported on this.

Apologies for not linking.

[Hum]

What do you mean by "show me"? Is visual information and logical deduction not solid basis for proof? Do you need to personally go there and dive into the stuff and feel the water on your skin to believe?

Well said. ;)

[Dark-Heart]

I think the reason why there is so much funding for planetary exploration in our solar system, is because when the world has been damaged too badly to support life. All the rich people who provided money for the missions will leave and go to that planet or moon, which has the water and resources that can support life.

 

For there always seems to be billions for space exploration, but none for the poor in the world.

[Showan]

So much $$$ wasted, just to see what going on, on a moon light years away.

When those millions of dollars can be used to take of the earth and those that dwell on it...

[seta-san]

I say no chance of life unless there is under water volcanos to provide energy.

I think the reason why there is so much funding for planetary exploration in our solar system, is because when the world has been damaged too badly to support life. All the rich people who provided money for the missions will leave and go to that planet or moon, which has the water and resources that can support life.

 

For there always seems to be billions for space exploration, but none for the poor in the world.

this world's had it far worse than us. the arrogance in believing that we're going to singlehandedly end the world after 4billion years of life.

[DocM]

So much $$$ wasted, just to see what going on, on a moon light years away.

When those millions of dollars can be used to take of the earth and those that dwell on it...

The problem with comments like this is that the posters clearly don't know what they don't know.

1) the Jovian moons are about 33 light minutes away, not light years. Much closer.

2) space exploration, all flavors of it, provides profound benefits right here on Earth. By observing how other worlds work we can better understand our own planets processes. We also learn how our own bodies respond to different environments we cannot test on Earth like prolonged exposure to microgravity.

Then there the advances in biomedicine, materials science, plasma physics (more important than you may think), sensors, electronics, basic physics, communications, image processing (which have provided profound benefits in medical diagnostics) etc. etc. etc.

[Hum]

So much $$$ wasted, just to see what going on, on a moon light years away.

When those millions of dollars can be used to take care of the earth and those that dwell on it...

You do realize the money is not really 'leaving' Earth.

It goes to pay companies and workers, who are taxed to pay for social programs and disease Research, to help out the humans on this planet.

And some companies and individuals donate money to various charities -- again, to help people. ;)

[Beittil]

Ow well, I bet he is the type of guy that finds anything space related a waste of money... so by all means, lets take away his GPS navigation devices for a starter!

[Krome]

The problem with comments like this is that the posters clearly don't know what they don't know.

1) the Jovian moons are about 33 light minutes away, not light years. Much closer.

2) space exploration, all flavors of it, provides profound benefits right here on Earth. By observing how other worlds work we can better understand our own planets processes. We also learn how our own bodies respond to different environments we cannot test on Earth like prolonged exposure to microgravity.

Then there the advances in biomedicine, materials science, plasma physics (more important than you may think), sensors, electronics, basic physics, communications, image processing (which have provided profound benefits in medical diagnostics) etc. etc. etc.

So, in other words, he only knows what he knows. :shiftyninja: lol joking with you there

First time I am 100% agree with you there buddy concerning the second points you made.  Well, all of it on this particular post... :)