See Close-Up Photos Of Geysers On Saturn’s Moon

The plumes from Enceladus’ geysers almost look as if they are glowing against the backdrop of space. Image curtosy NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

BY MARGARET SESSA-HAWKINS, PBS, For SouthFloridaReporter.com, Oct. 31, 2015 – Haunting and detailed pictures of Saturn’s moon Enceladus are being released by NASA today. The images come from an October 28 flyby in which the Cassini spacecraft skimmed by only about 30 miles above the moon’s surface.

The most exciting aspect of the flyby, however, may not be the pictures Cassini took, but the data it gathered. The purpose of this journey was to have the probe pass through and gather samples of the geysers that erupt from Enceladus’ south pole. The geysers are formed when material from the moon’s geothermally-heated global ocean bursts from underneath its frozen crust. Scientists believe they may shed light on the liquid interior of the planet.

As Cassini sailed through the icy plumes of the geysers, its instruments, which analyze gas and dust, took a sample. Scientists will be looking for the presence of molecular hydrogen in the sample, which could indicate that hydrothermal activity is taking place on Enceladus’ seafloor. The samples will also help scientists learn more about the composition of Enceladus’ ocean.

[vc_btn title=”READ AND SEE MORE ON ENCELADUS” style=”outline” color=”primary” size=”lg” align=”center” css_animation=”appear” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pbs.org%2Fnewshour%2Frundown%2Fnasa-releases-detailed-photos-flyby-saturns-moon%2F|title:READ%20AND%20SEE%20MORE%20ON%20ENCELADUS|target:%20_blank”]

Disclaimer

The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components