Moon of Saturn may have hidden ocean

[Judi Lynn]

Moon of Saturn may have hidden ocean
Published: Oct. 7, 2010 at 4:42 PM

http://photos.upi.com.nyud.net:8090/slideshow/lbox/c3da4a63ed246adb6af36d05f1668d37/Saturns-Moons.jpg

GREENBELT, Md., Oct. 7 (UPI) -- A moon of Saturn that should be frozen solid may have liquid oceans, thanks to a "wobble" it experiences as it orbits the ringed planet, researchers say.

With temperatures around 324 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, the surface of Enceladus is indeed frozen, but in 2005 NASA's Cassini spacecraft discovered a giant plume of water gushing from cracks in the surface over the moon's south pole, suggesting there was a reservoir of water beneath the ice, a release from NASA's Goddard Space Center said Thursday.

Analysis of the plume by Cassini shows the water is salty, indicating the reservoir is large, perhaps even a global subsurface ocean.

Scientists estimate the south polar heating is equivalent to a continuous release of about 13 billion watts of energy.

Researchers say tidal heating may be keeping Enceladus warm enough for liquid water to remain under its surface.

More:
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2010/10/07/Moon-of-Saturn-may-have-hidden-ocean/UPI-21731286484155/

[Fumesucker]

1. Enceladus..

[Posteritatis]

2. Dammit, now I need to go install Celestia to play around with it again. (nt)

[felix_numinous]

3. I just watched a segment on Saturn and moons

from a series called Universe last night! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this post. It is a beautiful series, check it out, even for the well informed the special effects are enjoyable. :)

[Ichingcarpenter]

4. Enceladus

was one of the Gigantes, the enormous children of Gaia (Earth) fertilized by the blood of castrated Uranus


During the battle between the Gigantes and the Olympian gods, Enceladus was disabled by a spear thrown by the goddess Athena He was buried on the island of Sicily, under Mount Etna.

The volcanic fires of Etna were said to be the breath of Enceladus, and its tremors to be caused by him rolling his injured side beneath the mountain

Hershel named this moon before it was even known that it was one of the only
three spheres outside of earth that volcanic plumes have been detected.

[felix_numinous]

5. THAT is amazing

and that the 'breath of Enceladus' may be feeding the rings of Saturn, so cool. :)

[Ichingcarpenter]

6. Well, I think we ought to think about where

words come from.

yes, I do think its amazing too. Right now
I'm studying the Ancient Greeks from a Yale podcast
one that includes mythology and another that includes history.