Astronomers find vast underground ocean under Saturn's Death Star
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Astronomers have found the best evidence yet of a vast, young ocean beneath the icy exterior of Saturn’s Death Star lookalike mini moon.
The French-led team analyzed changes in Mimas’ orbit and rotation and reported Wednesday that a hidden ocean 12 to 18 miles (20 to 30 kilometers) beneath the frozen crust was more likely than an elongated rocky core. The scientists based their findings on observations by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, which observed Saturn and its more than 140 moons for more than a decade before diving through the ringed planet’s atmosphere in 2017 and burning up.
Barely 250 miles (400 kilometers) in diameter, the heavily cratered moon lacks the fractures and geysers — typical signs of subsurface activity — of Saturn’s Enceladus and Jupiter’s Europa.
“Mimas was probably the most unlikely place to look for a global ocean — and liquid water more generally,” co-author Valery Lainey of the Paris Observatory said in an email. “So that looks like a potential habitable world. But nobody knows how much time is needed for life to arise.”
Related articles
US overdose deaths dropped in 2023, the first time since 2018
NEW YORK (AP) — The number of U.S. fatal overdoses fell last year, according to Centers for Disease2024-05-21Javier Assad pitches 6 innings as Cubs blank Brewers 5
CHICAGO (AP) — Javier Assad pitched six sparkling innings, and the Chicago Cubs beat Freddy Peralta2024-05-21Atlanta police hoist six illegal squatters from $500,000 home after stealing neighbor's car
Georgia police have arrested six squatters who took residence in a half a million dollar home after2024-05-21Tragedy as workman is killed after he becomes trapped in a trench at village construction site
A workman has been tragically killed after he became trapped in a trench at a village construction s2024-05-21Who is Jacob Zuma, the former South African president disqualified from next week's election?
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Former South African President Jacob Zuma was barred Monday from running for Par2024-05-21Tragedy as workman is killed after he becomes trapped in a trench at village construction site
A workman has been tragically killed after he became trapped in a trench at a village construction s2024-05-21
atest comment