Tag: Nature Astronomy
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Cassini proves complex chemistry in Enceladus ocean, boosting ESA mission plans
Fresh clues from Cassini data A major Nature Astronomy study revisits data from NASA’s Cassini mission to Earth’s opponent in the outer Solar System: Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus. The headline takeaway is not just the moon’s hidden ocean, but the surprising chemical complexity that its jets carry into space. Since Cassini first detected water plumes…
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Enceladus Habitable Conditions: Fresh Organics Hint Life
New clues about Enceladus’ habitability Scientists have found fresh types of organic compounds in the icy plumes erupting from Enceladus, a small Saturnian moon with a hidden ocean. The discovery, reported in Nature Astronomy, builds on decades of data from NASA’s Cassini mission and strengthens the case that Enceladus could harbor the chemical conditions necessary…
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Enceladus Organic Clues in Plumes Boost Life-Habitability Prospects
New Organic Clues from Cassini’s Enceladus Plume Data Scientists have updated their view of Enceladus, the small, icy moon of Saturn, by finding new organic molecules in the icy grains ejected from its southern vents. The analysis draws on data from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, collected during a 2008 close flyby when the probe sampled the…